We are big proponents of gratitude. Huge. A daily gratitude practice—even a periodic pause to be thankful for being able to breathe and see—does wonders for our stress levels and self-esteem, helps us to sleep better, and a multitude of other benefits. Consider it a superpower: gratitude brings you to the present moment, allows you to lop off all the negative things about it, and focus on what matters most (handy for family Thanksgiving dinners and Monday meetings!).
This weekend is a great time to start your practice. To get you started with some ideas, we’ve asked some of our readers to share what they’re grateful for:
“I’m grateful for opportunity, my partner, my dog, freedom, and fresh water.”
—Brandon, 28, stonemason
“For people in my life who challenge me, are brutally honest (even when it hurts) and ultimately, make me a better person.”
—Chad, 37, robotics engineer
“I’m grateful for having had the opportunity to travel freely through other countries as well as my own. By not limiting the world and the space around me, I’ve been able to learn more about others and myself. There’s so much that we don’t know.”
—Linda, 29, wanderer
“The beautiful pulled pork sandwiches my beautiful wife makes for me.”
—Jake, 38, farmer
“I’d be nothing without my parents. I am most grateful for them and everything they do for me, unconditionally.”
—Nina, 21, customer service
“My beautiful baby daughter, who sleeps (mostly) through the night. And my wonderful wife who keeps us all going.”
—Dave, 36, mechanical operator
“I’m grateful for having been given a second chance in life where I can share my experiences and hopefully uplift others. Single parenthood and paralysis have made me a stronger person that I can serve others through volunteering and community service.”
—Bettina, 40, small food business owner
“For infrastructure—those invisible systems that make modern life so much easier, like public transit, waste management, a reliable electric grid, and open access to the internet.”
—Asher, 24, freelancer
“I am grateful for learning how to be grateful, does that make sense? I learned to practice gratitude a year ago, and my life has changed. Same job, same family, same apartment, but my life has become this well of happiness and wonder for me.”
—Andrea, 40, editor
“My loved ones. They are not afraid to tell me my flaws and what I’m doing wrong, and that helps me learn from my mistakes and come out a better person. I wouldn’t be the person I am today with out these people.”
—Fras, 18, college student
“The company of my family and friends, and for the support and opportunity to support. This is where I gain an understanding of loving kindness.”
—Oliver, 39, secondary school teacher
“The ability to have autonomy over my mind and body. I’m grateful to have choice in my career, love life, and how I spend my free time. Most importantly, I’m grateful to have been born and raised in a country with access to clean water and expansive nature still largely untouched by human beings.”
—Cathy, 27, art director
“The opportunity to see my children discover themselves and the world around them, and mentor the foundation of their spirits’ journeys through this life. And for wooden spoons.”
—Tracey, 51, mother
“I’m grateful to have a career where I get to be creative. I love seeing an idea in my head and making it come to reality on screen. The successful end result, of a vision I conceived, makes all the difficult days along the way worth it.”
—Michael, 36, TV Producer
“Being the child of parents who had to flee their country as refugees, I am grateful to not know a life of war and poverty. I’m grateful that my parents’ experience has opened my eyes to the world, and to the different lives others live. I’m grateful for the ability to love openly, to have the freedom to choose and for the kindness of others.”
—Amy, 28, producer
“For time, to live and experience all that life has to offer. Time is the one thing we all share, can be spent however we choose yet we cannot buy more. I am very lucky to have had the time to see, experience, and explore so much of this beautiful thing we call Life.”
—Dave, 29, chemical engineer
“My journey. The myriad of people I’ve connected with and have yet to meet; the vast range of experiences always creating growth. At an early age, our parents taught us that whatever you have or don’t have, so long as you have love, anything is possible.”
—John, 40, connector
“The balance and calmness I am able to enjoy at this time of my life and wish I could go back and tell my young self not to take myself and life so seriously.”
—Janice, 65, medical education manager
“My family. I couldn’t imagine life without them. Marge and the girls mean everything to me. We are united and we share our goals, hopes, and dreams. We move through the journey of our lives as a single unit.”
—Raj, 40, entrepreneur
“To be living in a time where I can communicate with people from all over the world instantly. This gives me the opportunity to travel abroad and share my adventures, my learnings and my inspirations. Home is where the heart is, and the internet of things makes it possible to feel at home anywhere.”
—Katharine, 29, Nomad
Photo by Jade Masri on Unsplash.