Three ways to be grateful. Finding happiness with what you have.

In contrast to my last post about the importance of change and owning our change, I came across another powerful sentiment this week.

If we don’t feel happy with what we have why do we think more will make us happier.

This view balances the need for change with the ability for us to learn to be satisfied with what we already have.

For mental health and well-being learning to be grateful or happy with what we have is essential. I know for me some of the happiest times of my life have also been the hardest. It feels strange to say that but when I think back to my years in care, only seeing my mum less than a handful of times a year and always under supervision, loosing contact with a lot of my siblings entirely, living constantly with a sense of not belonging, struggling through school and so on but still some of my happiest memories where in those hard times. The simplest things, staring out a window watching the sun set, sat on a bench with my foster sister singing Disney songs.

Being happy with what we have is not about not striving for more it is about learning to enjoy what we have, so our happiness is not dependant on how much money, freedom, opportunity we have.

So how can we get grateful…

Practice daily gratitude

Write down three things in a journal you are great full for every day.

Talk with family about what you are grateful for over tea.

Name one thing in the pat, one thing in the present, one thing in the future you are great full for.

Help those with less

Help out a neighbour or a friend.

Do some work to support a charity.

Raise some money for a charity.

Applying some focus and effort to those less well off helps you to notice how much you have.

Practice self control and discipline

Have you have ever gone with out something for a while and then it enjoyed it even more when you had it. In a society where stuff is deliverable the same day, we can buy makeup with our food shopping and entertainment is streamed to us 24hrs a day, going without for a little while can be beneficial. Try a social media detox, stop buying the stuff you didn’t go into the store for, switch off a little. You will enjoy it all the more when you switch on again, trust me.

Because life is short, follow the Happy Path for more tips and inspiration to live your happiest live.

Fight 4 Happiness