Gratitude is essential for happiness

Gratitude as way of life changes you for the better. It lets you appreciate the mundane events that fuel our lives and it lets you sink into the great moments. It lets you finally stop sweating the small stuff—something I didn’t know how to do for a great deal of my life. It also helps you deal with the inevitable yucky stuff that happens to all of us from time to time.

I try to be grateful for everything. Grateful for the chaos in my house, the cooking, cleaning, washing this weekend because it means my family is here and I can hear laughter from the pool, see kids gaining confidence in themselves, see parents grabbing a moment or two of quiet (a rare gift) and getting my full share of hugs. I feel so lucky—even if its exhausting. I focus on the positives.

Gratitude for me, is the antitoxin for judgement as well. I don’t need to feel better by judging someone else’s actions as inferior because I am grateful for my choices and my life. I can see others are making the best choices they can—even when it’s not something I think is wise.



Just for today—try and be grateful for as many things as you can—the shower, clean clothes, breakfast, friends, family, life etc. See how it changes you.