Simple Ways to Express Gratitude

Because noticing the good doesn’t mean ignoring the hard.

When life feels heavy, it can be hard to feel grateful.
But practising gratitude isn’t about pretending everything’s fine — it’s about noticing the tiny good things that are already here.

When you train your brain to spot the good, you create space for more of it. Here are some suggestions for how to begin. Of course you don’t have to do them all – which ones appeal to you most?

1. Become an Active Listener

If you want to show your gratitude to others, be an active listener. This means not just hearing what someone says, but really absorbing what they are telling you.

Don’t use your phone when someone is talking to you. Look them in the eyes and take in what they are telling you. This is active listening, and shows the other person that you care about what they have to say.

2. Say It Out Loud

Tell your partner, your child, or a friend something you appreciate about them.
It lifts their mood and yours.

3. Express Gratitude in Your Journal

One way many people like to show gratitude is by writing it down in their journal. This is something you can do every day, by writing down at least one thing each day you are grateful for. Some days will repeat, which is okay! Other days, there will be a specific situation that you appreciate. It is okay to just be grateful you woke up and have your health, that you have a job, or something as simple as eating one of your favorite things.

4. Always Thank People Who Have Helped You

Remember to tell people when you are grateful for them. Whether they have done something to help you, gave you a compliment, or were just there for you, this is a good reason to show your appreciation.

A simple thank you is usually enough, but when someone goes above and beyond, really tell them how much you appreciate them and that you are very thankful to have them in your life. This little gesture means so much to the person receiving the gratitude.

5. Use Visual Reminders

Stick a Post-it on the fridge, the bathroom mirror, or your phone:
“I’m grateful for…” and fill it in as the day goes on.

6. Create a Gratitude Jar

If you don’t want to write down all the reasons you are grateful in your journal, try creating a gratitude jar. You can use small pieces of paper to write down one thing you are grateful for each day, fold it up, and put it in the jar.

This is a fun activity you can do with your family as well, helping everyone to be more grateful. It is also a great gift for others, where you can personalise an empty jar for them and give them paper and pens to use for the gratitude jar.

This is Day 6 of our 7-day positivity challenge. To start from the beginning and receive 7 days of prompts to challenge your negativity, please sign up below.

7. Express Gratitude in the Moment

Notice something good? Say it to yourself in real time:

“This tea is lovely.”
“That laugh felt good.”
“This moment is peaceful.”

the more you notice and point out these things to yourself, the more you prime your brain to notice more of them.

8. Volunteer to Help Others

You can also express your gratitude through your actions. You don’t always have to be vocal about how much you appreciate someone else and how they have improved your life, but instead show them through how you help them.

Volunteer to help them with a big project, show up when they are going through a rough time, and invite them to spend time with you. When you go out of your way to be there for other people, they can feel your gratitude.