Appreciate the Little Things

Optimism | 8.3.2020 | By Shilo Zeller, BSC.

Appreciating the little things in life seems like an easy enough task. However, living in a world that has social media as a highlight reel into everyone’s life can make it difficult to realize what we have. However, recent studies have shown that experiencing and expressing our gratitude for the simple things in life can help us connect more deeply with one another. This applies to both friends/loved ones and to strangers in our communities. By showing gratitude, we can start to see the world in a more positive light and recognize the regard and respect others have for us. 

Having positive emotions has been linked to increasing our overall health. According to some studies, this can boost our immune system, recover more effectively from injury, and even help us live a longer life. Thinking more positively will also help us boost our overall mood and be able to adjust to hardships even better. 

What are some ways we can really practice gratitude? Keeping a gratitude journal is a great place to start. Once a day, write down something you’re grateful for. Even if the best part of the day was the fact you had a coffee or that you had a bed to wake up in. Another way to show gratitude is to give a shoutout to a loved one when they do something that you think is impressive or give a compliment to a stranger. Knowing you made someone smile is a great way to increase your happiness too.