How To Appreciate Life More

Our fast-paced lives can quickly overtake our psyches, often making us dread our day-to-day experiences where we fail to appreciate our lives. It’s possible to combat these feelings of frustration and despair when you step back, switch your focus, and practise gratitude. An excellent place to start is with these nine tips:

Appreciate the Small Things

It’s easy to appreciate the big things and overlook the small things in life. Build your gratitude habit by acknowledging there is nothing too small to appreciate. For example, look out your window and relish that you can see the sky with its clouds.

2. Find the Good in Your Pain

It might seem convoluted to think anything good can come out of a painful past, but it is possible. Your experiences make you who you are. Look for those traits you developed in the troubled times of life, such as compassion for others in similar situations or quiet strength in times of stress.

3. Write Down the Reasons You Are Grateful

As you contemplate all the reasons you are grateful, record them in a notebook or on your phone. This way, you can revisit them at times when you may be struggling. It’s similar to a memorial and will help you refocus when you need it.

4. Give of Your Time

Investing in others is rewarding. It increases your wellbeing and makes you more grateful for what you may take for granted. Try to find ways you can volunteer in your community. Maybe you can tutor an elementary student in reading or visit the elderly who may have no family and be lonely.

5. Thank Someone You Love

Sometimes you may find that you’re grateful for something your mother or father has done for you – so, why not share this with them? You might go about this by writing a thank you card or, even better, give them a call.

6. Spend Time with Family

This tip can get tricky sometimes, but spending time with family helps you appreciate life. When you swap stories with each other, this can enhance and strengthen your relationship. Be sure to listen intently to your loved ones and engage with the conversation instead of thinking about how you want to respond.

7. Live in the Moment

Often we spend more time worrying about the future instead of enjoying the present. Why not stop thinking about tomorrow’s meeting and spend time engaging in a conversation with your three-year-old? Life is too short to spend your precious moments reliving the past or dreading the future.

8. Stop Playing the Comparison Game

We spend hours on social media looking at what others have and wishing we were them. Comparing your life to others leads to frustration and potentially depression. Embrace what you have and resist the urge to play the comparison game. To win, you might need to limit your time on social media sites. It will be worth it in the end.

9. Make Self-Care a Priority

When we become too busy and are overworked and tired, it’s easy to stop appreciating everyday life. Think of a child that needs a nap. Nothing can placate them and even small things make them cry. The idea is similar for adults. Ensuring you get good sleep allows your body to renew itself and puts life back into perspective. Eating healthily and getting exercise also boosts your mind, body, and spirit.

FAST-ACTION STEPS

Choose one step and focus on it for a week. You might choose to list three things/items you are grateful for each evening, or you might try shutting down social media for the evening.

Consider what changes you need to make to get better sleep, eat better, or exercise, and make them a priority. Underappreciating life may be an indicator that you have stopped self-care.

Give your loved ones a call and tell them ‘Thank you’ for something they did that makes you grateful for them. That embracing conversation may be the first of many in strengthening your relationship.