Universally, everyone would agree that there is no end to a man (or woman’s) desire and not everyone gets everything in life. Some are blessed, some fight for it and while the rest are still on their way to get what they really want. While at it, we often miss out on the small joys of life; the basic things that once meant a lifetime aren’t all that great anymore; basically we start losing out on gratitude. Lest we can do is feel happy and be grateful about things that we have rather than feel disappointed about things we don’t have.

We are not hinting that you should stop chasing all those big dreams that you have; dream generously, but also appreciate what you have today, for you may not have it tomorrow.

Let’s say for instance, you want a BMW, that’s good, and you start working furiously towards it. But don’t stop cherishing the vehicle that you currently have, at some point in time it was everything that you really ever wanted. At the end of the day, anything old is replaced by something new and better and this cycle will always go on.

This example may sound too superficial to believe, but here are 10 things that we should certainly feel grateful about.

1. The Luxury To Be Around People Who Understand You

There are people who are perpetual loners, while there are some who don’t have a family. They long to be heard, they yearn to have meaningful people and beautiful relationships in life. You have your family, partner or people who you call your BFFs to share special moments whenever you feel like. Feel grateful that they have been there and will continue to do so.

2. The Fact That You Have A Comfortable Place That You Call Your Home

You might be living in a small apartment right now but you have a shelter over your head which belongs to you. And nothing can be compared with the assurance of crashing out at a place which you can call yours. Isn’t that something we should feel grateful about?

3. A Healthy Body That Can Explore New Places And Do Things It Loves

There are people on wheelchairs, have lost a limb, are bedridden, or have some or the other shortcoming/ailment that might prevent them from travelling or do things they love. You should feel thankful that you are not on medications; you can breathe easy, walk, jump, or dance around, or go trekking, swimming etc without worrying much.

4. The Peaceful Sleep That You Enjoy In The Comfort Of Your Bed

For insomniacs or homeless people, a peaceful sleep will be more of a distant term to experience. Or maybe you have a bed which is rickety, noisy, too big or too small or not comfortable to say the least, you will now know what enjoying a nap maybe like. The fact that you HAVE a comfortable bed and the freedom to sleep whenever you feel like is something to be grateful about.

5. The Freedom To Make Your Own Choices

The freedom to make choices, both personally and professionally is something that many people don’t have. Today, you may say NO to a job offer which doesn’t suit you and you have savings to bank on, tomorrow you may be stuck in a job or with a boss who is totally impossible to deal with or may end up being jobless. If you are in a comfortable spot professionally or the current job helps you pay your bills, be grateful. Not everyone gets to see regular income flowing in every month.

6. The Experience Of Falling In Love (And Receiving Love)

This is tricky. There are people who have fallen in love, but have not been loved in return. There are people who have fallen in love and have also been loved in return. And there are the third kinds, the ones who have never ever felt the tingles or butterflies in their stomach and they have no clue what it feels like to be in love. And that is utterly sad. Not that such people are not happy but they will never know what they are missing out on. You should definitely feel grateful that you have been able to experience love.

7. Getting To Eat What You Feel Like Or At Least Eat Something

If you are not too fond of burgers or noodles, you may satiate your hunger with something else that you love. Getting to eat itself is a blessing considering the kind of crisis Syrian refugees or the survivors of Nepal earthquake faced. It is a big enough reason to feel grateful. There are many out there who are starving from hunger but can’t afford food, let alone choosing a cuisine.

8. Liberty To Be The Way You Are

Today, you have the freedom to choose your religion, what you wear, what you eat or be whoever you want to be. You can choose to be an atheist; you can embrace your sexuality, can marry whom you want to (as long as they feel the same way) or get a tattoo done and be proud to flaunt it. There are colleges that don’t allow their students to wear jeans or skirts or the freedom to pursue a preferred course that you like. This freedom should make you feel grateful.

9. The Fact That You Get To Breathe In A Free Country

This is indeed the biggest reason why you should be grateful. Your existence is not scrutinised, you are not forcefully governed by an unwanted entity, you can move around freely, do your things, and above all, BREATHE in a free country.

10. Basically, Everything About Your Life Right Now

Clubbing everything that we said above, shouldn’t we feel grateful about the way our life is right now and that we are alive? Maybe we all have planned better things in life; we want more exquisiteness around us, and we will get there sometime soon, but the bandwidth we have to plan things and put everything in place is a gratifying thing.

Shouldn’t we feel grateful about everything we have? Maybe some are not even close to it.