Things to Be Grateful For and Thankful For Plus! Free Printable

Do you know people that walk around moping like the beloved Eeyore?  

“Could be worse. Not sure how, but it could be.”

– Eeyore, Winnie the Pooh

Do you catch yourself being a bit like Eeyore?  Expecting the worse or not seeing the good? If your answer is, “Well, maybe a little.” I would like to challenge you to change your perspective. Start by saying this:

There are So Many Things to be Grateful For and Thankful For Every Day!

Next, commit to a little daily exercise.  What if you daily jotted down just one thing that you were thankful or grateful for in an entire year?  

Do you think that the simple act of saying, “I am thankful for____” would help you retrain your brain to focus on the positive things in this treasured life?  

Do you think it could have an impact on how you view things around you?  Would that simple act of being grateful each and every day have an impact on your mood and attitude?  

Would finishing (or starting) your day with the thought “God, I am grateful for ____ today?” help you see all the ways God is right there?

The Bible talks about this very topic. Here’s what it says in Philippians 4:8, KJV

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

The answer to all my probing questions is a resounding, “Yes”.  Looking for goodness and writing it down does have an impact on your mood, attitude, and how you see things around you.  It just takes a little focus.

Why Should I Make a Gratitude List?

The way I keep my focus on being grateful and on what is worthy of praise is by journaling.  I find the act of writing things down is a great way to help my brain do that very thing – to focus on the good.

I often tell my kids to be grateful for what they have rather than focus on what they don’t have.  Journaling a gratitude list can help with this focus.

I personally like to begin my day with a nice cup of coffee (Yes! I’m being grateful for my yummy-warm cup.) and take that time to write out my thoughts.  

Writing my thoughts down sets the tone of my day. It helps me see God’s goodness all around me.

Journaling things I’m thankful and grateful for with a warm cup of coffee works best for me. Some people prefer to reflect on their day and journal at night or a combination of the two.  Do whichever works for you.

How Do I Start Making a Gratitude List?

Now you may be thinking what kind of things should I put on this gratitude list? How do I get started? You could simply list what you are grateful for or what are you thankful for on a piece of paper or in a blank journal book.

I also like to find and create resources to help guide the journaling process. I have created a free resource called “One Good Thing” which is a daily reflection journal that gives you a space a day to jot something down every day of the year. Easy, peasy (and pretty).

For those of you that want to dig a little deeper, grab a pen and some paper and start writing.  You will be amazed how this exercise will redirect your thinking and improve your daily outlook on gratitude and thankfulness.

Are You Ready to Accept this Challenge of Daily Gratitude and Thankfulness?  

Let’s begin!  Below is a list of gratitude journal prompts to ask yourself. These questions will help you see things to be grateful for and thankful for.

Feel free to be creative and come up with your own as well–whatever comes to your mind is fine.  However, sometimes a little nudge helps with expanding your mind of how much there really is to be thankful for.

Sheryl’s List of Thankfulness and Gratitude Journal Prompts

• Who in your family are you grateful for?
• What is great about your town or region?
• What do you love about your culture?
• What do you love about your country?
• What hobbies do you love?
• Which music makes you happy?
• What makes you grateful about your health?
• Who has helped you in the past?
• What makes you grateful about your home?
• What makes you grateful about the food you eat?
• What lessons from the past are you grateful for?
• Which teachers are you grateful for?
• What fun times have you enjoyed?
• Which movies or TV shows make you happy?
• What can you do physically that you are glad about (walk, dance, swim, sing etc.)?
• What makes you grateful about each month or season of the year?
• What do you love about being free and independent?
• What do you love about your own personality?
• What places are you glad you’ve visited?
• What are you happy you have now that you didn’t have last year/five years ago?  

As you can see, there are so many things to be thankful for and grateful for.  Pick up a blank page or some guided journal sheets and give writing down your thoughts a try.

You may begin to be more like Tigger and a little less like Eeyore. You just may see the world around you becomes a better place.

Free Printable Gratitude Journal Prompts

I created this gratitude journal prompts printable so you can sit in a quiet place and really think about your gratitude list. All you need to do is click this free gratitude prompts printable link to get this free printable. I’ve included a color copy and black and white copy in this free pdf.

Gratitude List Ideas

To help you a little more, I thought it would be fun to share things I’ve found to be thankful for and grateful for. It has taken a lot of thought to get here but my hope is that it will help you get a nice start on a personal gratitude list.

Here is a list of things we should all be thankful for in no particular order. This list isn’t complete by any means but I will continue adding to it as I think of things. Remember that thankfulness and gratefulness are things we all should experience.

God loves us so much and wants us to enjoy our time on this earth. Our health, our emotions, our relationships, and our overall well-being are affected by the attitude we carry every day. It’s our choice to focus on the good.

1. Jesus
2. Prayer
3. Grace
4. Mercy
5. Bible
6. Love
7. Trust
8. Forgiveness
9. Faith
10. Hope
11. Peace
12. Encouragement
13. Truth
14. Healing
15. Spouse
16. Marriage
17. Your Kids
18. Parents
19. Grandparents
20. Quality Time
21. Mentors
22. Teachers
23. Church
24. Shelter
25. Furniture
26. Friends
27. Co-Workers
28. Pets
29. Neighbors
30. Jobs
31. Work from Home Jobs
32. Promotions
33. Health
34. Heart
35. Immunity
36. Arms
37. Hands
38. Legs
39. Feet
40. Eyes/Vision
41. Ears/Hearing
42. Mouth/Taste
43. Nose/Smell
44. Touch
45. Talking
46. Thinking
47. Your Memory
48. Learning
49. Coffee
50. Food
51. Education
52. Sleep
53. Energy
54. Clothing
55. Seasons
56. The Sun
57. Money
58. Clean Water
59. Warm Water
60. Dishwasher
61. Washer and Dryer
62. Electricity
63. Indoor Plumbing
64. Technology
65. Transportation
66. Travel
67. Books
68. Healthcare
69. Music
70. Safety
71. Freedom
72. Exercise
73. Accomplishment
74. Challenges
75. Anticipation
76. Your Personality
77. Your Abilities
78. Being Unique
79. Your Values
80. Laughter
81. Hugs
82. Smiles
83. Silence
84. Nature
85. Photos
86. Sleeping In
87. Waking Up
88. Community Workers
89. The Military
90. The Veterans
91. Time
92. GPS
93. Traditions
94. Holidays
95. Future
96. Rainbows
97. A Stormy Day
98. Fireplace
99. Snow
100. Stars
101. Night Time
102. Relaxing
103. Imagination
104. Birthdays
105. Lists
106. Inspiration
107. Experience
108. Breath
109. Air
110. Life

What Are You Grateful For and Thankful For?

Depending on where you are right now, this may be a lot to process. It’s easy to look at the negative and never look at the positive. Hopefully, this article will help you look at the positive and find some things you are really grateful for and thankful for.

I’d love to hear about some of the things on your gratitude list. Let me know in the comments below.

“Gratitude is the single most important ingredient to living a successful and fulfilled life.”

Jack Canfield