Gratitude Makes Me Happy.

Well it has been a few weeks since I have participated online in the Home Life Simplified Challenge (I have been kind of playing at home).

I love this weeks challenge of defining what makes you happy.

I took a moment to think about this challenge when Deb had set it, and instantly worked out what makes me happy, quite simply its gratitude, and being grateful.

There is a quote by Cicero that says

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.”

When I first commenced my 365 moments of Gratitude Project  I had no idea how much the above quote would soon ring true in my life.

As I have said before, I was in a bit of a slump in my life, feeling a bit sorry for myself, and looking at all the things in life that I didn’t have, rather than focusing on the abundant amount of things that I could be grateful for.

Slowly I got into the groove of finding one thing to be grateful for each day, some days it feels like I could take many photographs, and while at one stage the thought of finding 365 things to be grateful for seemed daunting, I now know that I could easily find 3065 things, as our lives are filled with so many daily treasures that we sometimes just are too busy, or too blind to take notice of.

I can safely say that I am happier since commencing my project, that by being grateful, I have brought many other things into my life, the ability to take the time to enjoy life’s blessings on a daily basis.

I used to think that I would be happier if we had more money, I had a better job, bigger house, or more “things” in my life. I used to get upset about the things that did not work out for us.

On reflection of this project, I see that the things that I am most grateful for are mostly free. The love of my family, the smiles on my kids faces, friendship, nature, peace, a moment alone.

Once I started to take time to be grateful for all the little wonders in my life, I felt that I was starting to be blessed with more and more beautiful and amazing things in life. I realise that I wasn’t, it was just that finally I was being thankful for what I had, rather than regretful for what I didn’t have.

I still have dark moments, and bad days, I am only human after all. I am not sure that everyone who meets me may refer to me as a “happy person”, but inside I feel happier, I feel more at peace.

And I have learnt that no matter how crappy a day is, there is always at least one thing, one person or one moment within it that you can be grateful for.

I have also learnt that happiness does not just come and land in your lap, you need to acknowledge it, and find all the things that make you happy in life.

 After all, life is way too short to be spent miserable.