7 Great Ways to Show Gratitude and Be Happier

In my opinion, gratitude is everything; it is the single most important aspect of your life. Essentially what gratitude means is being thankful and showing thanks to others, to the world, really to everything for all the amazing things that you do have and experience. 

I believe it’s impossible to be unhappy if you make a habit of showing gratitude. That is, if you show gratitude, you’re going to enjoy improved relationships, improved happiness and an improved personal life. 

Let’s discuss 7 great ways to show gratitude in life. Making these a habit will fill your life with more happiness and contentment.

Smile

My first pick of the ways to show gratitude, is possibly also the easiest to do. It is very simple and I’m actually doing it right now, whilst I type this. It’s so simple and you can do it right now and that’s simply a smile. If things are going bad, and everything proverbial seems to be hitting the fan, simply respond with a big smile and realise life is amazing, and life is a gift. The more you smile, the easier you can handle things. 

For example, walking down the street, give a smile to anyone that makes eye contact with you. I know that some people will think it’s creepy, however that’s their problem, not yours. You simply can’t smile like this and be unhappy. 

By smiling, you are showing how grateful you are to everyone around you. So try it out right now, and make it a habit.

Saying thank you

Another of my favourite ways to show gratitude to others is simply to say thank you. Obviously, there are different levels of saying thank you, for example, at the supermarket when someone hands you your groceries or whatever, always say thank you. Someone helping you with a house chore or something larger, you want to pile on the gratitude a little more.

Giving a personal thank you to someone can make their day and that’s a huge part to improving their life. So always try and respond with a thank you that’s equal to whatever the recipient has done for you.

Complain less

Now there are always times that we are going to complain. It’s an inevitable part of life, however generally speaking, none of us like spending time with people who complain a lot. Think about it; they’re just negative, they’ve got negative emotions, and they drag you down.

Before you next complain, sum it up as part of your overall life. You are likely to find that you are not doing that badly, and you probably don’t need to complain. If you are having a bad day, just try and dial it down complaining a little. You may find that if you complain less, you suddenly don’t feel as sorry for yourself.

Stop wasting energy on moaning, when you could be doing something about it, or at least thinking about the good things that are happening in your life.

Be present with others

Another fantastic way to show gratitude is in how you interact with other people. Look up from your phone or whatever activity you are doing when someone speaks to you, and actively listen to their words. Attempt to have passionate and meaningful conversations with everyone around you.

Work on genuinely asking people so it’s not just the typical “How are you?”, but delve deeper with questions and ask people to open up. By doing so, you are essentially giving someone a free counseling session, a free bit of coaching, whatever you like to call it. This is why face to face interaction always stands out from marketing software or media advertising. They can’t replicate that human touch,

I guarantee you that these conversations are much more interesting than what’s on television at the moment or the most recent Netflix show. Talk to someone about their hopes and dreams and passions, and get them to open up to you. It’s one of my favourite ways to show gratitude.

Thank you notes

If someone has gone out of their way and has done something amazing for you, make sure to make it more personal, and write them a handwritten note, or give them a call, not just send a text message or just say thanks. Make sure that you’re saying thank you every single day to be present in the moment with whoever you are at that time. 

By handwriting a simple note, you are essentially showing them that you respect them and that you’re grateful for the time they’re giving you, and the help that they provided. Think about it; when was the last time you received a handwritten note?

Say sorry

Showing gratitude isn’t just about saying thank you, either. Living with gratitude is a mindset and with that, it’s also important to apologise when you make a mistake. We are all human, and we shouldn’t be too proud when we make a mistake. All you have to do, is say that was me and I made a mistake.

Whatever it is, the simple two words, I’m sorry, can help solve so many problems. Instead of when you know you are being too proud and not being able to open up and say look I’ve made a mistake, you just ignore it. Immediately, people will think less of you and it just shows you’re a very ungrateful person. So apologise more freely.

Give compliments freely

When you interact with someone, try to make a habit to pick something about them – it doesn’t have to be physical – and compliment them on it. You could just mention what it is about them that is great. It could be they are smiling a bit more, or they are looking great today. 

It could be as simple as saying they are a great friend, or that you like being around them. I know an Australian business coach who does this, and it really makes his recipients (such as myself) feel good. These small compliments can have a huge difference on their happiness, and you would be amazed at how a compliment can lift someone’s spirit.

In Summary

To lead a happier and more meaningful life, you should get out there and incorporate a few of these things above into your daily routines. I swear it will drastically improve your life, if you’re not doing them already. 

If that seems like a lot to do, even just try to focus on one or two of the things above, so that you receive a profound impact. Thank you for reading this article.