Every morning, I have a strange habit. As I am taking a shower, I think about the miracle of modern life. As the water rushes over my body, I remind myself how amazing it is that we have hot water flowing into our homes. I feel grateful for the electricity that lights my home and keeps me warm. As I cook breakfast, I try to remember times when I have been hungry – and the people around the world who still are.

Being Grateful is Essential to Happiness at Any Age

In today’s fast-paced world, it is easy to lose track of how amazing life really is. Just a few generations ago, most of the modern conveniences that we take for granted would have been reserved for the ultra-rich. We should be so grateful to be alive today!

I am reminded of a quote by William Arthur Ward, who said, “Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”

It’s easy to focus on the negative. This is our “natural” state of being. It takes conscious effort to remember just how good we have it.

Over the last few years, I have discovered that one of the secrets to happiness is changing your frame away from what you don’t have to what you can be grateful for. Do you agree? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.

What small things are you grateful for? Do you, like me, have times of the day when you are reminded of just how amazing life is, no matter what personal difficulties you are struggling with? What do you do to stay grateful every day? Please add your comments below.