How To Feel Grateful For Your Life

I'll be honest with you.

I used to be selfish.

All I cared about was taking things for myself.

What others wanted didn't even register in my mind.

Worst of all, I kept thinking I was a victim.

A victim for being heart-broken.

A victim for being lazy.

A victim for being me.

I blamed everyone else for my problems.

I had a lot of learning to do.

And I'm proud to say I'm not the same person anymore.

I understand that everything I do is within my power.

I can choose to be selfish or I can choose to be kind and considerate.

I can choose to be happy or I can choose to wallow in misery.

Most importantly, I can choose where my life goes and I'm not a victim of circumstance.

This philosophy of personal responsibility saved my life, and it can save yours too.

But this article isn't about that.

It's about how you can start experiencing gratitude.

The truth is, even during my darkest days, I was in a very fortunate position.

I was safe.

I was warm.

I was well fed.

And yet, I never took the time to be grateful for what I had.

I only focused on what I lacked.

If you want to feel more gratitude in your life, this is for you.

There are many practices you can try.

Have you ever meditated?

It's not something I do often.

But many successful people say meditation helped transform their life.

It's something you can try too.

Another practice is journaling.

Where you write about how you're feeling, what your goals are and what you can do to hit them.

Journaling to me is much like a free therapy session, why not give it a go?

The two methods mentioned are good and will get your foot in the door.

But now I want to give you the fun stuff.

Here it is:

The best way I've found to be grateful is by running through different perspectives.

If you're reading this, just know that there is someone else in the world who would switch lives with you.

There's a man in India with 12 children and no money to feed them.

There's a little girl working 20 hour shifts in a humid sweat shop.

There's a family in England who's just lost a child to suicide.

It doesn't matter how hard your life might feel.

You still have a roof over your head.

You can still buy vegetables for less than ￡1.

You still have an internet connection.

The world could feel like it's crumbling around you.

But I guarantee there's someone in a 3rd world country who would love to live your life.

If that doesn't make you feel grateful for where you are, what will?

Well, there is one more way you can use the power of perspective.

And that is to imagine yourself on your deathbed.

You're 97 years old.

You're looking back on everything you've done in your life.

It's your very own Hollywood movie (the best one you'll ever see!).

And just before the film is about to end...

Someone comes out from behind the curtain and offers you the chance of a lifetime.

He gives you the opportunity to use a time-machine and to arrive at the exact position you're in right now.

Would you take it?

I would.

Now, why is this particular perspective so powerful?

Is it because it shows time machines exist?

Although that would be cool, the answer is no.

It's because you're no longer 97.

I don't know how old you are, but I'm 24.

My 97 year old self would give anything to wake up as a 24 year old again.

I was younger and didn't have crippling arthritis.

I was stronger with muscles that bulged through my clothes.

I was handsome and not covered in wrinkles.

I wasn't rich yet, but I was on the right track.

The entire journey was still only beginning.

By the time I'm 97, I could be a billionaire.

But I would give that up without a second thought to be young again.

The good news is, you don't have to give anything up.

You're already young.

And if you're not young, I doubt you're 97 years old yet.

Be grateful for being exactly where you are.

Stop focusing on what you don't have and feel thankful for the things you do have.

You're going to die one day.

And it's going to come around much quicker than you realise.

Having an attitude of gratitude will serve you along the way.

I hope you found this valuable.

-Finlay

If you want to read more from me, follow me on Twitter @finlay_godfrey.