300 Things to Be Grateful For in 2023: The Ultimate Gratitude List
There are MANY things to be grateful for Yet sometimes, it’s hard to see the ridiculous amount of good that’s all around you. So, when you can’t see the forest through the trees, or you’d love a dose of optimism, a gratitude list is the perfect tool.
Why should I make a gratitude list?
But first, gratitude can do even more for you. According to science, it will:
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- make you happier
- enhance your positive emotions
- increase your self-esteem
- improve your relationships
- help with your decision making
- reduce stress and depressio
- improve your health
And the benefits go on and on. The point is, if you’re not including a practice like a gratitude list in your life, it’s time to consider one. Right now.
The Best Gratitude List
Here you’ll find gratitude list examples that make anyone grateful, no matter what the circumstances.
Obviously, not all of these will apply to everyone, but everyone will find plenty to use from it.
Big Things to be Grateful For
1. Your home. There’s no place like home.
2. Your parents. They gave you life and a way to see the world.
3. Your friends. Friends that feel like family can’t be beat.
4. Your kid(s). If you have them, you know they bring incredible joy to life.
5. Your relationship. Your person to spend life with.
6. Your pet. Animals are incredible sources of love.
7. Your health. It is said that…health is the crown that sits on the well man’s head that only the sick man can see.
8. Sight. Your ability to see the beauty in this world.
9. Smell. That first sniff of fresh baked anything.
10. Taste. What would the world be like if you couldn’t taste anything?
11. Touch. An essential part of how we connect with others.
12. Food: If you don’t have to worry about where your next meal is coming from, you’re blessed.
13. Travel. Seeing other places whenever we want is a gift.
14. The kindness of others. When someone reaches out to you in love and support it is no small thing.
15. Heating and cooling. Climate control makes our lives WAY easier.
16. Living in a safe neighborhood. Not worrying about the safety of yourself and your family is something we take for granted.
17. Our freedoms and rights. Saying what you want, practicing your religion in your own way, and voting are not commonplace everywhere.
18. Sunshine. It boosts your spirits and makes Earth a beautiful (and livable) place.
19. Modern medicine. Keeping us alive for much longer.
20. Planet Earth. It’s pretty incredible that it has just the right conditions for us to live here.
21. Education. Not everyone gets the access or quality of education we have.
22. Clothing. Having plenty of clean clothes that are functional.
23. Electricity. Light at the click of a switch. How awesome!
24. Clean water. If you don’t have to worry about what you’re drinking, you are lucky.
25. A stable government. I recently spoke to someone who lived in a country without one. And I’ve never been more grateful to live where I live.
Unexpected Things to Be Grateful For
Next, these aren’t necessarily the items you’d put first on your gratitude list, but they are definitely worth our thanks!
27. Sunday mornings. That feeling of calm and space that only Sunday has.
28. Long weekends. 3-day weekends are the best!
29. A good cry. Yeah, we all try to hold it in, but it feels so much better if you let it happen.
30. Exercise. While most of us aren’t grateful in the moment, movement is a sign we are healthy and alive. (And it makes us feel good)
31. A great book. The kind you just can’t put down.
32. When you finish a heavy project. It was hard, but it’s fulfilling when it’s done.
33. Making someone else feel good. Getting someone to laugh or smile is such a great way to spend the day.
34. Alone time. And doing whatever you want with it.
35. Silver linings. They are always there if you look.
36. Deep conversation. The kind that makes you feel like you really connected with a person.
37. Learning from mistakes. It’s how we grow.
38. Negative emotions. Anxiety and depression are telling you something needs to change in your life. Where would we be without them?
39. Heartbreak and loss. Without the lows, how would we know what the highs are?
40. Life’s challenges. For making you a stronger and more empathetic version of yourself.
41. People who dare to change the world. The Elon Musks of the world have vision. And we benefit from it enormously in the long run.
42. The changing seasons: the first buds on the trees, the first snow, falling leaves in Autumn, etc.
43. Honesty. Sometimes it’s hard and sometimes it hurts, but we’re always grateful in the end.
44. Being born in this time period. While we still have issues, it’s amazing how far we’ve come. How lucky we are to be born in this era.
45. A new discovery. Whether you just found a new food you love or made a break-though at work. (Getting out of your comfort zone helps with discoveries)
46. Animals. They all make life a lot more interesting, help sustain us, or love us.
47. Your age. Whether it brings you wisdom or vitality. There’s always something cool about being the age you are.
48. Energy. The older I get, the more I realize how important your daily energy levels are.
49. Events to look forward to. Often, we find happiness in the things we anticipate.
50. When a child says something hilarious. Toddlers and small kids are the best at this.
51. Change. It’s not always welcome, but how boring and stuck our lives would be without it.
Things to Be Grateful for About Yourself
52. Your unique personality. Quiet or loud, you’re pretty awesome.
53. Your ability to learn. A growth mindset is where it’s at.
54. Your creativity. The coolest things in the world were built by creative people. Your creativity is more important than you realize.
55. Your sense of humor.
56. Your accomplishments. We’ve all done things in our lives that we’re proud of.
57. Your unique family heritage.
58. Your arms and hands. You use them constantly for just about everything.
59. Your legs. Getting you where you need to go.
60. Your heart. Pumping blood to every part of your body.
61. Your lungs. Every breath is a gift.
62. Your immune system. For fighting those ugly viruses that come your way.
63. Your unique set of skills and talents.
64. Your resiliency and grit. You bounce back when you need to.
65. Your mindset. A positive mindset can move mountains.
66. Your “imperfections.” They make you who you are.
67. Your smile. Trust me, it’s beautiful.
68. How far you’ve come. When you’re feeling down about anything, be grateful for the steps you’ve taken to make the progress you have.
69. The color of your eyes. They make you unique.
70. Your memory. Your memory connects your past to the present, provides you with great ideas, and gives you your perspective on life.
71. Your personal style. To be who you want to be and look the way you want.
72. Your discipline. When you don’t want to do something, but you do it anyway because you know it’s good for you.
73. Your core values. Whether it’s manners, loyalty, compassion, or work ethic, your values are always important assets to have.
74. When you take great care of yourself (find self-care ideas)
75. When you bring about positive changes in yourself or your life
76. The light you (and only you) can bring to the world
Things to be Grateful for in a Relationship
78. Having a supportive partner
79. Love. Those sweet, romantic feelings.
80. Someone to share the deepest parts of you with.
81. Trust. Having someone that you trust completely eliminates many worries.
82. Laughter. Being with someone who makes you laugh is a gift.
83. Living with your best friend.
84. Someone to lift you up when you’re down.
85. When your partner gets you to look at something in a new way.
86. A hug.
87. A fancy meal out together.
88. Skills your partner has that you don’t. I’m so grateful my hubby is handy.
89. Having a co-parent to divide and conquer (if you have kids).
90. When your partner makes you feel appreciated.
91. When your partner makes something easier for you.
92. Commitment. Every relationship goes through hard times. It’s the commitment that gets you through.
93. Cuddles in bed.
94. Date night. There’s nothing like quality time together.
95. Being with a person who has different qualities. Often, these qualities complement yours.
96. Someone to plan your future with.
97. Gifts. Big or small they are a way to show our love.
98. Intimacy.
99. Someone to share your burdens and losses with.
100. Being cared for or supported in times of lesser health.
101. Sweet memories of a life lived together.
102. Seeing them light up when you make them feel good.
Things to Be Grateful for at Work
104. A caring boss.
105. Coworkers you can count on.
106. A work project you are proud of.
107. Having a job. Not everyone has one that wants one.
108. The ability to work from home. If you have it, it’s pretty awesome.
109. Mentors. Those people who take an interest in your progress and give you support.
110. Having a job that pays the bills.
111. The big, scary career decision you made.
112. Having access to higher education and resources to help you grow in your field.
113. Having an interesting job that challenges you and gives you purpose.
114. When you receive positive feedback on your work.
115. Autosave on the computer. It has saved most of us more than once.
116. When you’re in flow and the great ideas seem to come out of nowhere.
117. Email. While it can be distracting, it’s also a great way to communicate needed information quickly.
118. Creating something. We are all meant to create and inspire deep down.
119. Your phone and laptop. Allowing you to work from anywhere.
120. Wifi.
121. Spell check. And grammar check.
122. Raises and promotions.
123. The end of a productive week, when it’s time to slow down.
124. When you realize you can earn money doing something you love.
125. An inspiring brainstorming session.
126. When you can make your own work schedule. Or at least have a flexible one.
127. Work that brings out your creativity and innovation.
128. Producing work that helps and serves others in some way.
Things to Be Thankful for at Home
130. A long, hot shower or bath.
131. A soft, warm bed.
132. Your favorite food. A scoop of mint ice cream. A slice of pizza. That guilty pleasure that brings you joy.
133. The show that always makes you laugh.
134. Furniture. It makes things a lot more cozy.
135. Good neighbors that watch out for you.
136. Naptime.
137. Having a place to call your own.
138. A freezer. Being able to have food on hand is a lifesaver for a family.
139. The dishwasher. I wouldn’t want to do all that by hand!
140. The washer and dryer. Again, saving us a boatload of time!
141. The Instant Pot. Do it all in one pot. It’s genius.
142. The feeling you get after a huge decluttering session.
143. A quiet place to sit.
144. Love and laughter bouncing off the walls.
145. A home that has enough space for those living in it.
146. A cozy fireplace when it’s cold.
147. An outside area for porch sitting.
148. Flowers and plants that brighten up where you live.
149. Your mailbox. For giving others a place to send you love (and coupons).
150. Objects in your home you cherish.
151. Photos. Memories of great times.
152. Having a place to go when the world feels hard.
153. Candles and other delightful scents.
154. The beauty you see outside your window.
155. A charging station to put your devices, and unplug for a while.
156. When you find a rotating meal plan that works. It feels like a huge weight is lifted.
Gratitude List Examples for Morning and Night
Truly, I threw this section in because I LOVE the bookends of the day. They usher in quiet in-between moments that are beautiful.
158. That first cup of coffee. The first sip is the best.
159. The stillness and calm that radiate in early morning.
160. Sleeping in. The moment you realize you can sleep an hour longer is AMAZING.
161. Waking up. The simple act of opening your eyes means that you are ALIVE.
162. A morning routine you love. Check out amazing morning routine ideas >>
163. The birds outside your window when the day arrives. Wake up sleepy head.
164. The fact that every morning is the start of a fresh day. It’s your chance to make it great.
165. Morning walks watching your neighborhood come to life.
166. The space a morning can give you to get your mind right for the day.
167. Morning journaling (Read the perfect gratitude prompts for this).
168. Morning or night meditation. Both have great benefits.
169. Morning affirmations. One way to start the day well.
170. When your morning starts with a healthy breakfast and you feel ready to take on the day.
171. A chance to love on your most important people when work doesn’t get in the way.
172. Sunrises and sunsets. So beautiful when you stop to look.
173. Your evening drink of choice after a long day (cup of tea, glass of wine, etc.).
174. Night is the time for deep thinking. Often, great conversations happen at night when people let their guard down and open up about life.
175. When you spot a beautiful full moon.
176. While the days are busy, nights are peaceful and quiet.
177. That moment you climb into bed and get settled at night.
178. A night routine that nourishes you. See smart things to do at night >>
179. Goodnight kisses to those you love.
180. When you fall asleep satisfied and tired from a day well spent.
Things We Take for Granted in 2023
182. Clean air. Talk to someone who doesn’t have this and you’ll instantly be grateful you don’t have to worry about your next breath.
183. Indoor plumbing. Toilets. Showers. What did people do without them?
184. Technology. Having a computer in your pocket is a pretty incredible thing. Not to mention you can speak to anyone whenever you want.
185. Free learning. It’s all around us at the touch of a button. Library books, podcasts, blog articles, and Google. No money required to learn anything you could ever want.
186. Workers that serve our communities. Police officers, firefighters, and medical workers perform brave and selfless acts daily to ensure our safety and wellbeing.
187. Farmers. Without farmers, the food in your kitchen would no longer be there.
188. Maintenance Workers. From repairs to cleaning, we often forget that a lot of work goes on behind the scenes in our everyday businesses and homes.
189. Our military. The amazing people that willingly go into danger to keep the rest of us safe.
190. Trees and nature in general. Being in nature is good for your health.
191. The ability to buy healthy food. Not everyone has access or the resources to buy the quality of food you can.
192. Having a car.
193. Time. A dying person would tell you that what you can be most grateful for is the time you have. Don’t squander it.
194. Sleep. Any mother with a newborn will tell you we take sleep for granted.
195. Easy transportation. We can get anywhere we need to be, pretty much anytime we want.
196. GPS. How did anyone used to get anywhere???
197. Staying in touch with friends. Something we take for granted until we no longer keep in touch.
198. Toilet paper. Really, where would we be without it?!
Unique Things to Be Thankful For
The one-of-a-kind things to be grateful for make our experiences colorful.
200. Family traditions that only your family does.
201. When others accept you for who you are.
202. Your faith.
203. Being debt-free (or having little debt).
204. Anything that inspires you. A speech, an athletic event, blog post, a podcast.
205. Art. When you see a work of mastery, it’s so inspiring.
206. Music. That song that touches your soul.
207. Holidays. Reasons to celebrate bring us together.
208. Adversity. Without adversity, you would not be who you are today. We learn through the struggle. (See these adversity quotes to get through it)
209. Diversity. Thank goodness we are all different.
210. Role Models. Those people who lift us up, motivate us, and show us great examples of living.
211. Vaccines. Vaccines in general have kept many people alive that would not be.
212. Watching your kids make the right decision. That is one proud moment.
213. Your parent’s voice.
214. Memories.
215. Communities you are a part of. Clubs, gym classes, and more.
216. New beginnings. The new year, a new start to the week, a new day.
217. Rainy days. The perfect time to cozy up inside.
218. The future. Thinking of the future gives us hope.
219. Teachers. Those people in our lives (by profession or not) who impact us in a positive way.
220. The farmer’s market. Such a sweet place to be.
221. A compliment. Or encouraging words.
222. Campfires.
223. Snow. The beauty in winter.
224. Rainbows.
225. The moon and stars. Can you imagine a night sky without them?
226. Imagination – both in yourself and in others.
227. Trying something new. The excitement and growth that accompanies it.
228. When you feel truly in the moment with those you love.
229. That killer deal you just got on something you really wanted to buy.
230. Watching your kids do something they love.
231. Pride. In something you’ve done or something your kids have done.
232. When the weather is gorgeous outside.
233. Forgiveness. Letting go when you need to.
234. Healing. Physical or mental.
235. Kid birthdays. The excitement is contagious.
236. A venting session with a friend or family member when you need it.
237. Support groups that lift you up when you need it and keep you accountable when you need it.
238. Trails. You can do so many things on them and be surrounded by nature.
239. Sports. It’s fun to see the incredible things our bodies can do.
240. A good full-belly laugh. Feels SO good.
241. Positive momentum. How when you build towards a goal, one thing leads to another.
242. Being inspired. It’s a beautiful feeling. (Try this “fired up” checklist to feel it more)
243. Your last vacation. What was your favorite thing about it?
244. A marked-off list. When you check everything off it’s such a nice feeling.
245. The vastness of nature. When you look out into the huge ocean or the endless night sky it puts a lot of things into perspective.
246. Life experience. One key benefit to growing older.
247. Apps that improve our lives. A number of apps can be extremely valuable to your health and wellness.
Funny Things To Be Grateful For
249. Memes and gifs. Helping us laugh at everyday life and shake off the stress.
250. Inside jokes. Those secret things only you and a few other people know about.
251. Regular jokes & puns. Duck jokes, Star Wars jokes…it’s all funny!
252. Being able to laugh at yourself. It helps you take the pressure off of life and remember not to take it too seriously.
253. Tickle fights.
254. Pranks. April Fool’s Day doesn’t come often enough!
255. Trivia competitions. When everyone tries to know the most. (See pop culture trivia)
256. Sarcasm. It’s beautiful when your kids get old enough to understand that everything you say is dripping with sarcasm.
257. An epic game of truth or dare. Or any other game that makes it so you can’t stop laughing.
258. Corny Dad jokes. And kids who can spot one a thousand miles away.
Recent Things I Put on My Gratitude List
Finally, these are all items from the last year that make me extra thankful.
260. Netflix. For making tv easy and fun in your home.
261. In-store pickup. I began using this during the pandemic and it continues to be a MUCH easier way to get groceries with a toddler.
262. At-home workouts. Much-needed stress relief!
263. Sore muscles after those workouts. It hurts so good.
264. The chiropractor for helping me when I got a bit intense with those workouts!
265. A good meal with those you love.
266. Long meandering walks.
267. Get-togethers of any kind.
268. Connecting with a stranger.
269. Understanding that it’s ok not to “do it all.”
270. Wine on the deck with friends.
271. A day when you have nowhere to be.
272. Amazon Prime. One-day shipping at the click of a button? Yes, please!
273. That my kids were born healthy.
274. Tea parties. Because why not?
275. The job my parents did. I appreciate how hard they worked now that I’m a mom.
276. Pizza and movie night with the kids.
277. Family walks.
278. Hammocks.
279. The Chiefs. For making football fun again.
280. Saggy swimsuit bottoms and little kid wedgies. It’s just too cute.
281. Cuddles in bed with the kids.
282. The firepit.
283. Getting to share the world of Harry Potter all over again with my kids.
284. Friday. Because who doesn’t love Fridays?
285. Help. In any form it comes.
286. Summer afternoons at the pool.
287. Happy hours. It feels good to have a good time for less.
288. A delicious meal that was not made by me.
289. Cold showers. A strange one, but they make you feel awesome after.
290. When your avocado is finally perfectly ripe (but not too ripe!)
291. Cuddling up under a warm blanket. It’s just cozy.
292. A Self Care Kit. Keeping my sanity on days when it’s a little too much.
293. A cool breeze blowing on your face.
294. Fancy and fun cocktails after a long week.
294. That your body tells you when you need to take better care of yourself. You just have to listen.
295. Read aloud with the kids.
296. Inspirational family movies that make you want to take on the world.
297. Weekend bike rides out in nature.
298. The women I work with. They are amazing in so many ways.
299. A growing business
300. Gratefulness.
The more grateful you are, the more you realize there is to appreciate.
How to Make a Gratitude List
This list is massive, but yours doesn’t have to be!
Start simple with 10 things. What are 10 things for which you are grateful?
Or make an a to z gratitude list. Or start your own journal practice! All it takes is your first small step to get going!
