How many times have you wondered that you are lucky? Indeed, we are lucky to be living in peace, harmony, ease and comfort, which many people lack. We should be grateful to the One who is providing us with everything. Think about how blessed you are to live such a happy life. Isn’t your life beautiful?

Gratitude can be found anywhere, even in the simplicities of life. When your mother cooks food for you, you should be thankful that you have all the food that you wish to eat, and your mother is cooking it for you. When someone helps you out in your work, like your teacher, you should be thankful to them. Appreciate the people who clean your house, drive you to places or work for you.

Acknowledging others’ efforts is also a form of showing gratitude. Acknowledge your friends and family for supporting and guiding you every time you need them. Saying ‘thank you’ is surely not the only way to show you are grateful. A polite smile is also a powerful way of expressing your feelings.

Often times, we are advised to ‘count our blessings,’ it means we should appreciate the life we are living, as many people can only dream of such a life.

Applying gratitude in your life is essential for your peace of mind and happiness. It helps in building a positive mind-set. An ungrateful person is more likely to live a gloomy and sad life, because such a person becomes discontent and is never happy with anything. The more they get, the more they want. Their greed dominates their happiness, leaving them grumpy and annoyed.

Express your gratitude to the people who are doing something nice for you. You can also show it by doing good in return. When you express how thankful you are, it makes others happy and makes them have faith in themselves. They feel empowered and good within themselves. In other words, gratitude is ‘recognising the good in your life’. It brings optimism and allows you to look at the bright side of everything.

An inspiring quote by Oprah Winfrey clarifies the importance of gratitude.

“Be thankful for what you have; you will end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”

Published in Dawn, Young World, January 21st, 2023