In this era of technology and urbanization, people are getting away from their loved ones while trying to be ahead of the others and are slowly moving towards an isolated place where they don’t even have time for themselves. They don’t even have time to sit peacefully and reflect on the ways of their living. People are not happy and satisfied with what they have. In the World Happiness Report 2020 released by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network India ranks 144 among the total 156 countries where the survey was conducted.

The one question which arises here is what does happiness actually mean and how to be happy then. Does happiness mean earning a lot of money, having a luxurious life, or admiration from the people around you? The meaning of happiness could be different for everyone but sometimes the means of acquiring this happiness could be the same for all people. Human life in itself is a great gift, people need to appreciate what they have and yes being appreciative towards this priceless journey means showing gratitude. Gratitude is the feeling of thankfulness, being grateful for all the things that a person has, and appreciating every moment of life you are living from the depth of your heart. The feeling of gratitude is a positive emotion that can be harnessed with the practice in our daily lives. 

How it leads to happiness?

Being grateful in life positively impacts your mental health leading you towards a happier state of life and this has also been found in a number of researches done on human behavior and psychology. This emotion of counting one’s blessings can become the basis to overcome difficulties in life. When people practice gratitude in their daily lives they see good in every aspect and this emotion balances life and encourages the person to move forward. In this sense gratitude is the key to happiness, feelings of being grateful and appreciation elevates one’s life condition.

How to be grateful for all the blessings you have?

It starts with simply counting all the blessings you have this could be the support of your family, having a roof over your head, getting your meals, having good people around you, etc. Practicing gratitude in daily life can take you to such a condition where you’ll realize that even all the challenges which are coming your way are in some sense a blessing for you because difficult situations help you to exert more and reveal your unleashed potential. 

1. Counting your blessings - Just see what all you have in your life, things which could be basic necessities for you can be luxury for others so always be grateful for all the comforts you have.
2. Saying thank you - You can practice gratitude by simply saying thank you to all the people around you with a deep conviction and you should feel the same as well. 
3. Reflect on your thoughts and acts- Take some time out of your day to reflect on the things happening around you and how you can contribute to make the world a better place. Do reflect on your acts and thoughts.
4. Act of appreciation- Without acting upon your thoughts, reflection is incomplete so take necessary actions based on your observations.

How to teach your students to be grateful for all the things they have?

A teacher shapes the future of a country and he/she has the great responsibility of developing future citizens and more than that good human being who can make this world a better place to live. Students always try to follow the footsteps of their teachers and for them they are ideals. As a teacher, you can lead your students to become an example for them. In a famous quote, Mahatma Gandhi says, “Practice what you preach.” If we want our future generation to practice gratitude and be a good human being we’ll have to show them examples of the same. We’ll have to teach them and show them how to be a responsible individual. Some of the things which can be taught to the students in order to make them practice gratitude are:

1. Maintain a gratitude diary or journal: Teach students to count their blessings by keeping a record of all the good things they have in a diary which will keep them reminding all the blessings they have. 
2. Appreciate and cherish your family and friends: Saying thank you to family members and friends often for their support and being a part of their journey will help children to develop strong relationships in life.
3. Being compassionate towards others: Compassion is the feeling of recognizing and understanding the sufferings of others and helping them to overcome the hardships. Being compassionate will help the children to count their own blessing and helping others brings a feeling of satisfaction and happiness. 

Gratitude is a simple emotion that can be developed by just being appreciative of this life and all the blessings you have. This will help you to change your perspective towards life and will elevate your life condition because the ultimate goal of life is to be happy. Happiness can’t be measured with the luxuries you have like this a feeling which comes with the satisfaction of the mind. Practicing gratitude daily and counting your blessings will take you to a happier life state.