How to Become a More Grateful Person

It’s easy to walk through life feeling beaten down, trod on, and depressed. You may wake up experiencing heaviness and hopelessness, almost as if nothing can pull you from the spiraling negative path on which you find yourself. While no one is immune from negative thought patterns and sad moments in life, everyone can have something to feel grateful for. With that in mind, you can start your journey to becoming a more grateful person. 

There are many benefits associated with such a mindset. You can feel and experience more happiness, express your gratitude through action, and never feel like you need more than you have. Read on for tips on how you can become a more grateful person. 

Question Yourself

Using the introspection method of self-reflection, Naikan, you can ask yourself three questions to understand yourself and your relationships. The ‘x’ in these questions relate to a particular person in your life. 

What have I received from ‘x’?

What have I given to ‘x’?

What troubles and difficulties have I caused ‘x’? 

These questions are essential parts of self-reflection. They allow us to use our relationships with other people as a mirror to analyze ourselves. 

Gratitude Journaling

Even those who have found themselves in the pit of despair can see great value in journaling for gratitude. This process involves using a diary or notepad to write down what you are grateful for. You can write about ordinary events that brought out the best in you or others or the attributes of valued people in your life. There is no limit to how you display your gratitude. You can even mention moments in time, people, places, and things. If it brings you happiness and you’re grateful for it, it’s worth writing about. 

Remember You At Your Worst

You may not feel like you are the best version of yourself, but reflect on where you have been before. Think back to the difficult times in your life, the battles you fought, the lingering negativity, and the overwhelming sense of hopelessness you may have overcome. Compare some of your darkest times with where you are now and feel that sense of gratitude wash over you as you realize what you have achieved. Thank yourself for believing in yourself to make it through. 

Practice Gratitude

Experiencing gratitude every day is a learned skill. It’s also a habit you have to form by doing it every day until it sticks. Set time aside daily to write down or think about everything you are grateful for.  They might be small things like, ‘I am grateful for this road worker who has made the road smoother on my commute to work today.’ It could also be something larger like, ‘I am grateful for my siblings, who protect me and help me every day.’ 

Life will never be smooth sailing, and it can throw us curveballs at any moment. However, how we deal with them can make all the difference to our mindset. Being grateful for what you do have can see you less focused on what you don’t have. Any of these gratitude tips above may be able to set you on the path to becoming a more grateful person.