Finding things to be grateful for

As we wind down another year it’s common for many of us to feel reflective of how things have gone and to wonder if things could have been better, or different. In this month’s mindfulness and wellbeing updates, the last of 2025, we’ll be thinking about the concept of gratitude.

The term ‘gratitude’ is interesting because it tends to mean different things to different people. Merriam-Webster defines ‘gratitude’ as ‘the state of being grateful’, as derived from the Latin term ‘gratus’, and in broad terms the word ‘gratitude’ is often used to refer to the notion of being appreciative of life.

According to the Metro newspaper, gratitude tends to be associated with such positive outcomes as greater life satisfaction, improved crisis management, stronger resilience and increased mental and even physical wellbeing, while voicing feelings of gratefulness can also fulfil a social purpose in the sense of fostering in-group cohesion and encouraging future acts of kindness and generosity.

On the other hand, the concept of gratitude can understandably feel irritating or unhelpful to many people, particularly anyone who is living through challenges that are not of their own making. That might be part of the reason why publications such as the Guardian increasingly focus on the so-called ‘dark side’ of the gratitude movement by arguing that an emphasis on being grateful can be seen as an unhelpful way of maintaining an unfair status quo by encouraging people to be content with what they have rather than demanding respect and better treatment. Encouraging people to feel grateful can even cloud people’s moral judgement, with research indicating that people are more likely to transgress moral codes on behalf of someone else if they feel grateful to that person.

Perhaps a better way of looking at the situation is to focus on being appreciative of more positive moments in life without losing the ability to think critically. While 2025 has been a wild ride for many of us, we have tried to come up with a few things to be grateful or appreciative of below, and we’ve also tried to think of practical ways to show gratitude to other people where appropriate. If you follow wellbeing trends then you’re probably already aware of the practice of writing down things that you feel grateful for. If that’s not your thing, you might like some of the below.

Enjoy the view

Whenever you have a spare moment, and especially if you’re in a new place, take some time to look out of the window and take in the view, even if it’s not a particularly interesting one. Enjoy nature and the company of animals and try to take some time to appreciate the natural environment, even if you live in a city and this just means admiring the sky.

Always write postcards and thank-you notes

Sometimes it can be easy to be complacent about the people around us, particularly people who are close to us, but if someone does something nice for you then showing your appreciation will help them as well as you. Even though writing thank-you notes seems old-school in today’s world, writing someone a card or even a message shows appreciation for their generosity. Likewise, most people love receiving postcards if you travel.

Try to surround yourself with cheerful people

Try to surround yourself with positive people, and if that’s not possible then try to surround yourself with people at least some of the time. Even though none of us can be upbeat constantly, other people’s optimism can often be contagious. If you know people who have a naturally bright outlook on life and a good sense of perspective, try to draw strength from that. Being in the company of upbeat people is often the next best thing to feeling upbeat ourselves.

Be open-minded

In the words of one of the commentators in the Metro article mentioned above, ‘Even when it feels tricky to find something to be grateful for, the simple fact that you are starting to look for it is like opening a door to a new world and perspective’. Being on the look-out for small moments of unexpected joy or creativity helps keep our minds open and gives us something to look forward to.

Draw strength from the kindness and generosity of other people

It can be very easy to feel cynical about other people, but if you ever receive an act of goodwill or generosity from another person then it’s worth cherishing this as much as possible and trying to replicate it where possible. Even small acts of kindness make life better and easier.

Learn more about things that interest you

Learn more about something you love so that you’re always inspired. Appreciate art. Learn about science to discover how amazing and intricate the world is. In today’s times we’re constantly exposed to amazing art, music, songs, writing, and we have access to more forms of culture, in a more diverse format and greater number of languages, than ever before. If you approach life with a curious mindset then you’ll always find things to inspire you.

Look after your own mind and body

It’s easier for us to see situations with clarity and therefore see the good in them if we feel comfortable and well-rested. Try to sleep well and for appropriate lengths of time, get exercise, get outdoors, and avoid unhealthy habits like overdoing caffeine. Try to take breaks when you need to and don’t expect more from yourself than you would from other people.

Know your own limitations

While it’s great to try to be appreciative of the more positive moments in life, a lot of the time life is just hard. You can’t feel grateful if you’re not. Also, trust your instincts about when to be grateful and when not to be. While it’s great to be appreciative of good things, don’t feel pressured to feel a sense of gratitude for things that are irrational or unfair. Always trust in your own judgement and don’t feel like you owe anyone your gratitude.

Be grateful for progress wherever you find it

If there’s nothing in your own life that you really feel particularly grateful for, be grateful for progress. A lot of the time it’s easy for us to be complacent about the standard of living that we have today, but many of the benefits that we enjoy now are the product of the hard work of other people, whether this comes in the form of scientific progress, labour-saving devices that make our lives easier, or rights that previous generations weren’t entitled to. Even though there is much that could still be improved in the world, many of us live more comfortably and safely than would have been the case a century ago.

Be grateful to yourself

Regardless of how 2025 went, if you’re reading this then you’re still here and you still survived another year. If things went well for you, you might feel grateful for your successes. If things didn’t then at least you probably came through the year stronger, with a better sense of perspective to see you into the next year.

And with that, we close out our final mindfulness and wellbeing article for 2025! However you’re spending late December, and whether you are celebrating it or not, we wish you all the best for the rest of the year and the start of the next one. Keep it mindful, and see you back in January for more updates!