Gratitude List: How to Write it and 20 Things to be Thankful for!

A gratitude list is, as the name shows, a list of things you are thankful for in your life.

One might think, what’s the point of creating a gratitude list when all things in life have already screwed up so much? Does writing a daily gratitude journal actually help?

Well, yes! That’s the whole point of creating a list of things for which we are thankful.

We are surrounded by negativity and stress most of the time, which clouds our minds and prevents us from seeing the positive side of life. We tend to ignore or forget the little pleasures of daily life. Practicing gratitude, whether by making a gratitude list or using a gratitude jar, helps you remind yourself of the good things happening around you.

But what is the difference between being thankful and grateful? Although these words are used synonymously, the former always expresses superficial appreciation while being grateful evinces deeper and heartier acknowledgment.

Now that you realize the distinction between being appreciative and thankful, prepare to encounter the significant effect of gratitude – begin your rundown now!

Why Gratitude Matters?

Gratitude is one of the important practices that one could embark on in the quest to lead a happy and fulfilling life. Focusing our attention on what we do have, rather than what is lacking, shifts our perspective and opens us up to more joy, love, and positivity. The exercises of gratitude also help an individual learn to value small pleasures and beauty in ordinary moments, strengthen relationships, and become more resilient to the effects of adversity.

Mindfulness quotes can make gratitude a profound practice from a weak, routinized gesture. As they say, “The grass is greener where you water it.” Similarly, with gratitude meditation in everyday life comes attitude change, improvement in well-being, and living life to its fullest and most meaningful and contented existence. Let’s nourish our minds and hearts with gratitude, and watch our lives blossom.

How to Start Gratitude Journaling?

Writing a gratitude list actually helps to instill in us an attitude of gratitude. By deliberately acknowledging and celebrating things in our lives that are positive, we can develop both a more grateful heart and a more joyful spirit.

There are several ways to go about it. If you are a beginner at this practice, you can just list down 1-2 things you find helpful, unique, or positive. It can be as simple as having a good coffee at the café or as grand as securing a scholarship in your dream university.

It can also be about feeling thankful to the people around you who have helped you in troubling times, such as your parents, siblings, best friends, spouse, or even neighbors. This will make you realize how much we take relationships for granted.

Your gratitude list can also include things you are happy about at your work, like helpful colleagues, job satisfaction, new appraisal, or successful client meetings. To deepen this practice, consider using gratitude journal prompts. These prompts can guide you to focus on specific areas of your life, such as discovering your life purpose, encouraging you to recognize and appreciate the positive things around you.

Taking a few minutes to write these points will make you realize you have so much positivity around you—you were just not aware of that earlier. You can also try other forms, such as using gratitude apps or sharing things you’re grateful for with your friends or family members. Find out what works for you and enjoy the process!

How To Write a Gratitude List?

There is no wrong method to write a gratitude list. You can list down things you find worth being thankful for in several ways.

Here are Some Tips:

• Choose the best time to write your gratitude list. You can integrate it into your morning coffee hour, lunch breaks, or evenings.
• Keep the list genuine and authentic as much as possible.
• Don’t list just vague things you have faced during the day. Be as specific as possible. As you practice, you will start noticing more details in every activity.
• Don’t care about the sentence structure, grammar, or tone. Write in any style that you feel comfortable enough to express yourself.
• Look into various aspects of your life, pick as many positive things as possible, and write them down in your journal.
• You can also write gratitude affirmations to cultivate positive thinking and mindfulness.

Keeping these tips in mind will help you find things to be grateful for in your life.

Conversely, if you like to draw, imagine a gratitude tree with many branches and write things you’re thankful for on leaves or flowers and place them on the branches. This may be a fun and creative way to watch your gratitude grow!

Gratitude List Ideas: 20 Things To Be Thankful For in Life

The following examples for gratitude lists will inspire you to start counting your blessings and write them down on a gratitude list every day.

1. Good physical and mental health
2. A kind stranger you meet on the way to work
3. Your colleagues are helpful
4. You have a job
5. You have some money in the bank
6. You have opportunities and experiences
7. You have family back home
8. You have a cute, healthy furry friend (your pet)
9. You have access to education, food, and healthcare
10. You are not in debt
11. You have a bunch of friends to go out with on weekends.
12. You have a safe and secure home and a roof over your head
13. You have a closet full of your favorite clothes and shoes
14. You can watch your favorite movie
15. You have the internet to communicate, shop, and get entertained
16. You can read your favorite books
17. You have multiple talents
18. You have clean air to breathe
19. You have the energy to enjoy nature: mountains, rain, sunshine, streams, etc.
20. You can sleep soundly at night.

You have to make deliberate efforts to think about what you are thankful for. Millions of things, people, and experiences will come to your mind.

Final Words

Now that you understand what gratitude means and have understood the importance of creating your own gratitude list, you can make this your habit to live a contented life. Somedays, you might not find anything worth being thankful for, and that’s okay. You can always flip back the pages of your gratitude list and remind yourself of the blessings you have.