The Minimalist Guide to Being Grateful

Most people connect with Thanksgiving as the time of year that makes you feel the most thankful, but I always feel more thankful during Christmas. It could be the new year approaching, the extended time off from either work or school, or being around family that always has done it, but I am easily reminded about how thankful I am for the life that I have.

Truly happy people can carry this feeling with them all year long.

In this post I'm going to lay out a simple way to be grateful all the time.

Happiness in the Mundane

I remember talking with Nate Damm about how peaceful and grateful he was just to be able to wash his hands when he was walking across America.

When was the last time you were grateful for something that "simple"?

Instead of keeping your head down lost in your to-do list, look up more. View the world around you for the world that it is. Go out in nature and explore. There is a lot to be thankful for.

Arches-11.jpg

When Less is More

Carrying around the mindset of "less" versus "more" can lead to a happier life.

Most people always want more.

  • More possessions
  • More food
  • More presents
  • More house
  • More cars

When you change the need for more into wanting to have less, you can live a simpler life.

  • Less stress
  • Less clutter
  • Less obligations
  • Less space to fill
  • Less stuff to maintain

Live Minimally

You don't have to sell all your stuff, travel the world, or live out of a backpack to be "a minimalist".

The best definition that I have come across is from mnmlist.com:

"It’s a way to escape the excesses of the world around us — the excesses of consumerism, material possessions, clutter, having too much to do, too much debt, too many distractions, too much noise. "

Think about how you can live more minimally this Christmas and how it can lead you to be more grateful each day.

It can be one of the best decisions you ever make.

Happy Holidays to you and yours. :)

Caleb Wojcik