Have you ever wondered how many things we take for granted every day? Life is full of amazing opportunities and gifts that the Universe has bestowed upon us, however, we forget to be thankful for them most of the time.
Have you ever wondered what you should be grateful for?
I’m sure there is a long list of amazing things in your life, that you forget to be thankful for every day. And it’s not just you, we all do that.
We get so caught up in comparing ourselves to others, that we start taking things for granted.
A Buddhist proverb says “Happiness comes from little things”, however, people often forget that.
If you have found yourself comparing yourself to others, being jealous, or even being unhappy with who you are or what you have, have a look at the following 27 things all people take for granted in life:
27 Things We Take For Granted
1. Being Alive
Being alive is the only way you can grow and develop spiritually. Life on Earth is meant to teach us valuable lessons.
As we are all immortal beings living a temporary human experience, we come to earth to learn, grow and become a higher form of energy.
Besides, being alive is amazing as each day is a new beginning which you can use to build the life of your dreams!
2. Being Healthy
Even if you are not perfectly healthy, the fact that most parts of your body function properly is in itself a reason to be grateful for.
There are people out there who live unconscious, their brains not being able to process anything, and completely depend upon others to feed them and shelter them.
Even if you have one illness to deal with, chances are you are still healthier than many people out there.
3. Friends
If you live in modern society, you are so used to the idea of having friends, that you even forget you have to be grateful for them. But can you imagine how your life without your friends would be?
Not having someone to go out with, spend time with, or someone to share your problems with? The truth is not everyone has friends.
If you do, make sure to remind them every day how important they are for you!
4. Family
We are so used to our family members being there for us that we forget how lucky we are to have them.
The harsh truth is that family will not be there forever. As time passes, some family members get old, others get sick, and life here on earth is meant to finish one day for all of us.
That means we only get a limited amount of time to be with the people that we love and care for.
Remember, the time you have with your family is limited, so make the most out of it. And if you have a family that loves you and supports you the best way they can, you are luckier than 50% of the planet’s population.
5. Pets
Pets are perhaps the beings that love us the most.
Even though they are not human, I feel like my pets are family and friends at the same time.
They cannot wait for me to get home, they are so happy to see me, and are always there when things get tough, cuddling up in bed with me as if they know something is not right.
We often take pets for granted, but truth is that they make our lives so much better. They may not be able to speak to us, but they show their love in all the other ways possible.
6. Food
Food is essential to our survival, giving our bodies all the nutrients, it needs to function.
Starvation is among the top 10 causes of death globally, which means that millions of people die due to lack of food. The rest of us, kind of relish having a multitude of options to choose from in the supermarket and fridge full of delicious food.
Good food is a great reason to be grateful for!
7. A Roof On Top Of Your Head
A lot of people live on the streets, or in the wilderness, not having proper shelter. They suffer from cold or intense heat, endure rain and humidity, and never feel safe.
Having a shelter is a privilege, and a true reason to be grateful for.
So, my advice is that every day you wake up, stop and give thanks for the fact that you have a roof on top of your head.
8. Clean Water
A huge part of my daily routine is the hot shower I take every night before bed. It helps me relax, cleanses me physically and energetically, and helps me get ready to sleep.
However, in many parts of the world people don’t have access to clean water, nor do people without shelter.
Being able to wash your body every day is something so trivial to us, yet it’s a real luxury. So, next time you take a bath or a shower, make sure you truly enjoy it and that you relinquish the treat the universe offers you.
9. Freedom Of Speech
Past generations on earth have lived without much freedom of speech.
Nowadays, not only that we don’t get killed or tortured when we say uncomfortable social truths, but we can even write about the most unconventional, taboo topics and via the internet, share our view with the whole world.
I think freedom in general, and freedom of speech particularly is something that we are so used to having, we forget that until recently, freedom of speech did not exist!
10. Freedom Of Choice
The modern world showers us with options, from every point of view.
The shops are full of types of foods, clothes, electronics, cosmetics and everything you could desire.
You get to choose what you wear, what you buy, what you eat, what you watch, what you read, where you go, who you date and so much more. We live in a world of infinite potentials!
Now think about the fact that in the past, most people didn’t have so many choices. They could eat what they would get or what they were able to grow themselves, they would read whatever they could, if they could read at all, travel was often restricted or too difficult, and even marriages were often arranged.
Can you imagine living like that?
If not, make sure you never take your freedom of choice for granted ever again and that you enjoy every amazing opportunity you have to make a choice.
11. A New Day
A Buddhist proverb that I love says “every day is a new beginning”.
No matter what you’ve been through, or how difficult your life was, you can always create a new beginning.
As the sun sets every night and rises every day, you too can rise from your ashes like a Phoenix. Every day is a new beginning; therefore, every day should be celebrated.
12. The Fact That The Sun Is Shining
Sun is the engine behind all there is. It allows plants to grow, animals to live, and it nourishes the human body with vitamin D.
Also, the sun triggers the secretion of some happy hormones in our body, and is scientifically proved that it reduces depression.
Next time you’re having a bad day, you can just choose to be grateful for the fact that the sun is shining, and go somewhere where you can enjoy it.
13. Technology
Technology makes our lives so much easier than they used to be.
It facilitates instant communication, it helps spread the news and it even helps people to make money. Yet, we are so used to having a smartphone glued to our hands that we forget that only 20 years ago we did not have smartphones.
14. The Fact That You Can Write And Read
Without reading and writing, you would not be able to communicate in writing, send texts, emails, or use computers. Also, without the ability to write and read, you would not be able to read great books, study, or watch a movie with subtitles.
Being able to write and read makes your life easier and more beautiful and it’s something to be grateful for.
15. The Fact That You Can Go Almost Anywhere You Want
If you want to travel, you just open your laptop, go online, and buy tickets. Of course, you need money and in some cases visas, but the world is now an open place for almost everyone to travel.
In the past, most people lived in the same place their whole life, and when they traveled, it took an awful lot of time to reach their destination.
16. The Fact That You Can Provide For Yourself
If you can work and offer yourself the lifestyle you want, you are luckier than 50% of the world’s population.
However, I bet that oftentimes instead of being thankful that you have a job, you spend time complaining about it.
Next time you feel like saying something negative about your job or colleagues, remember that other people don’t have a job to help them provide for themselves.
17. The Fact That You Can Study
The great thing about the world we live in, is that no matter in what material conditions you were born, you can always study your way up to a better life.
I’m not saying it would be easy but just think about people in the past, who were either born rich or poor and had to live their whole lives like that.
18. Your Hobbies
Your hobbies are activities that bring you joy simply when you practice them. You don’t have to be focused on the result, just to be there and to enjoy.
If you have hobbies, you are lucky, because you can choose to feel good almost any time.
19. Your Life Purpose
So many people don’t know their life purpose, therefore they can’t live the life of their dreams. They just have to accept whatever life gives them.
If you know your life purpose and you have a dream that makes you happy to be alive, you are very lucky!
20. The Love And Support You Receive
If you have a person willing to give you unconditional love and support when you go through a tough time, trust me, you are luckier than most people.
Doesn’t matter if that person is your mom, friend, spouse, or therapist. Make sure you let them know how much they mean to you.
21. Hugs
Hugs are a natural way of increasing dopamine and serotonin in our brains. It’s like medicine that you can use whenever you need it, whether you’re hugging a friend, a partner, or your pet!
22. Nature
Studies show that time spent in nature can help reduce depression by up to 40%!
Nature helps us cleanse our bodies energetically, clears our minds, and can boost our mood.
Nature makes miracles when it comes to making you feel better, so go ahead and make the most out of spending time in nature.
23. Fresh Air
With pollution rising so much, if you live in an area where you have fresh air, you should be grateful for it.
It may sound very trivial, but the air that we breathe, can either make us feel better or be a threat to our health, affecting the whole respiratory system. Make sure you never take fresh air for granted anymore!
24. The Ability To Express Love
When you express your love, you make yourself and others feel better. We all need to feel loved and treasured.
Feeling loved makes us happier to be alive, and gives us the wings we need to fly high.
Make sure you find amazing ways in which you can express your love for the people you care about, and then do it as often as possible.
25. The Ability To Create Your Own Life
The modern world gives us amazing opportunities to not be stuck in our lives anymore. We can study, learn, grow, use the law of attraction, practice a sport, and anything that helps us align with who we want to become.
We have access to information very easily, it’s only up to us to use it right. You are able to create the life of our dreams, and that is definitely something to be deeply grateful for!
26. Your Cleverness
Cleverness is a quality that can help you transform your life radically if you choose to use it correctly.
You can use your cleverness to develop relationships, skills, study, achieve great results at school or work, and create a better life for yourself.
27. Creativity
Creativity is that one skill that can help you create amazing things or content that can change your life or the life of others.
What most people don’t realize, is that creativity is not this incredibly rare talent only a few chosen ones possess. Creativity is something we all possess to a certain extent, even if in a little amount.
Don’t dismiss what I’m saying, and think about the fact that even when you choose your outfit for the next day, you are using your creativity, assessing what clothes to combine with one another.
You’re also being creative when you’re writing a cute text message or when you are choosing a gift, so you don’t need to be Picasso to be creative.
Whatever amount of creativity you possess, you can develop it even more with practice, and you can end up creating amazing things!
❤️ Related Post: 11 Of The BEST Crystals To Help Enhance Your Creativity
Conclusion Of Things We Take For Granted
Life is full of things to be grateful for, that we have and take for granted every day, however, our lives without them would not be so great.
Remember to appreciate every little thing listed in this article, and you will end up appreciating life more and feeling happier and fulfilled!
Thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave a comment below.
Related post: Discover simple pleasures that can transform your perspective on life.
Alexandra, the head author at Subconscious Servant is a Psychologist, Reiki Therapist, and writer. She loves writing about any topic from Applied Psychology, Metaphysical and Spiritual healing, hoping that people on a spiritual, self-discovery journey will find guidance and light through her articles. If you want to read more about Alexandra, visit her full author bio here.