101 Reasons to Be Grateful For What You Have

There are all kinds of things to be grateful for: Relationships, nature, laughter, and more. Here’s a list of 101 reasons for gratitude, to add a spark of inspiration to your gratitude practice.

If you’ve ever tried gratitude journaling or following the common mindfulness practice of thinking of 3-5 things you’re grateful for each day, you’ll know that over time, it’s easy to run out of steam.

But gratitude doesn’t just have to be the big things in life.

It can be the small things that bring you a bit of joy or satisfaction or comfort:

Nature, air conditioning, weekends, music, modern medicine, travel, and laughter, just to name a few.

To add a spark of inspiration to your gratitude practice, here’s a list of 101 reasons to be thankful.

101 reasons for gratitude

1. Everything on Earth that supports your existence, from the organisms in the soil to the plants and animals
2. The Sun’s rays which warm your face and nourish the plants that feed you
3. Electricity, which only became common in homes in 1925
4. Everyone who’s helped you become who you are now
5. Grocery stores and the fact that you don’t have to hunt for your food
6. The increasing ability to work from home, or work from anywhere
7. Clean streets and the sanitation workers who make them possible
8. Smartphones and their ability to keep you connected anywhere on Earth
9. GPS for helping you never get lost again
10. The chance to know yourself better over time
11. The Moon, for being perfectly positioned to affect the tide and for lighting your way at night
12. Traveling to new places and the sense of adventure and variety that brings to your life
13. The unique talents and abilities that you’ve been able to share with the world
14. The chance for growth when challenges arise
15. The sense of accomplishment that comes when you do something you worked hard at
16. Your mother and your father for bringing you into the world
17. The Internet and the way it brings the world to you
18. Humor and comedians and moments of joy that funny people bring into your life

19. Clean water and not worrying about thirst or disease from what you drink
20. Clean air and the ability to take deep breaths without inhaling pollution
21. Your partner or most important relationship and every time they’ve put you first
22. The printing press and the exchange of ideas that books have allowed
23. Air conditioning and the ability to be comfortable in hot climates
24. Bicycles and the sense of exploration they give you from childhood to adulthood
25. The ability to listen to any song you want in the world, at any time
26. Dogs, cats, and other pets and their ability to make us laugh and keep us company
27. The feeling of warm sun on your skin
28. Nature and the feeling of awe and beauty it inspires
29. Health, in whatever capacity you’re experiencing it
30. Your body and the movement it allows
31. Your ability to communicate with others through language
32. Having a roof over your head for protection from the elements
33. The feeling of wonder that comes from looking up at the stars at night
34. Children and their ability to remind you to be playful and adventurous
35. Video calls that let you chat with friends and family all over the world

36. Each morning which brings a fresh start
37. Sunrises and the beauty they bring to each day
38. A warm cup of coffee or tea on a cold morning
39. Experiencing a rainy day while you’re comfortably inside
40. The joy of witnessing the laughter of babies
41. The fact that you have shoes to protect your feet
42. Clean clothes and the change they can spark in your feelings about yourself
43. Your ability to experience hope that life can keep getting better
44. Clouds, and the beautiful scenes they paint on the sky
45. Reading and losing yourself in a good book
46. Your ability to heal from physical and emotional wounds over time
47. Dancing
48. The feeling of jumping into a cool pool on a hot summer day
49. The ability to taste food, and all the amazing sensations that come with it
50. Your sense of smell and how it helps you experience the world more richly
51. Hearing birds chirping, and hearing the wind moving through the trees
52. Your vision and how it helps you navigate the world around you
53. The changing of the seasons
54. The beating of your heart which keeps you alive in each moment
55. Going to see music performed live
56. The energy and nutrients you get from food
57. The fact that you can learn from mistakes

58. The motivation you have to become a better version of yourself
59. Your ability to learn from others
60. All those who’ve come before you and the knowledge they’ve left. As Isaac Newton said, we are standing on the shoulders of giants!
61. When emotional pain and depression give you the motivation needed to make changes in your life
62. That particular smell when it rains on a warm day (it’s called petrichor!)
63. Dreams and the inspiration they bring to your life
64. Giving and receiving massages
65. Sleep and the way it recharges your body and refreshes your mind
66. Refrigerators, freezers, and your ability to save food for later
67. The feeling of your bare feet on soft grass
68. Streaming videos and not having to run to Blockbuster anymore to rent a movie
69. Airplanes and the way you can travel anywhere in the world in a day
70. The challenge of learning a new language

71. The feeling of laughing until you cry
72. Microwaves and popcorn and having food ready to eat in two minutes
73. The excitement of going to the movie theater
74. Alone time and the peace it can bring
75. All kinds of chocolate
76. Cars and the independence, freedom, and mobility they give you
77. Naps
78. Candlelit dinners
79. Exploring the outdoors
80. Old friends and new friends
81. Podcasts and the ability to learn from smart people around the world
82. The feeling of receiving a gift
83. Modern medicine and the security that comes with knowing more and more conditions are survivable
84. Building peace inside yourself
85. Being next to a warm fire on a cold night
86. Sunsets and the gorgeous pictures they paint upon the sky
87. Those moments of pure silliness where you experience a major belly laugh
88. How far you’ve already come in life
89. Floating in rivers and playing in streams
90. Hot showers and the way they keep your body clean and smelling good
91. The endorphins that come with exercise
92. The ability to take photographs and hold onto a memory of the past
93. Tender kisses

94. Road trips and the freedom of the open road
95. The joy of painting and drawing
96. The ability to meet your basic needs
97. The luxury of having leisure time
98. Struggles that remind you that happiness is worth fighting for
99. Getting lost in a good novel
100. The childhood experiences that built who you are today
101. How a walk outside can reboot your energy and spark creativity

Further reading

For more on gratitude, check out:

• 71 Gratitude Affirmations