“Time and health are two precious assets that we don’t recognize and
appreciate until they have been depleted.” – Denis Waitley
When your unhappiness is eating away at your soul, and you think everything you have is going to waste, think again. Look around you.
What do you see? What do you smell? What do you hear?
When was the last time you looked at the sky?
Like, really looked at it?
Can you appreciate the sound of leaves rustling in the wind? Or the feel of grass on your bare feet?
Now, imagine having all these taken away from you. Imagine losing your vision, your hearing, your sense of touch, your sense of taste, and your sense of smell. Take a moment to reflect on what you’re missing out on.
Imagine spending the rest of your life without all of your senses. It’s extremely hard, isn’t it? You’d probably be driven to end your life right then and there because life as you know it has ended. Your life will never be the same again.
Fortunately, the above is just an exercise. But a powerful one at that. I hope it made you see just how trivial all your problems are compared to having everything – literally everything – taken away from you.
Here are 10 things you should appreciate in life:
1. Life.
Every day you wake up, you’re given another lease in life. You have a new opportunity to start your life anew, to make amends, to make an impact in this world. Instead of trudging through your day as though you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, try to live each day as though it were your last. Every single day you live like this is going to be your best day ever!
2. Family.
No matter how busy life gets, always find the time to connect with your family. Your parents gave life to you, without them you’ll be nothing. If you have siblings, learn to appreciate them as well. If you have extended family, spend quality time with them as well. Everyone in your family helped shaped you to become the person you are today.
3. Friendship.
Having friends you can count on is important. You have someone to share your thoughts and your feelings with. They can improve your life, and likewise, you can help enrich theirs as well. Have meaningful conversations with your friends.
4. Health.
Good health often goes unacknowledged. Learn to take good care of your body. We’re only reminded to be grateful for our health when illness befalls us. Even the tiniest pain can inconvenience us greatly, more so serious and critical illnesses.
5. Love.
Whether it’s romantic or platonic love, self or selfless love, the saying “love makes the world go round” holds plenty of wisdom. Love makes you come alive. It motivates you to get out of bed early, to walk with a spring in your step, to smile and laugh more often, and many other positive changes.
6. Laughter.
There’s a lot of things to laugh about in this life, no matter how bad you think it’s become. Laughter has plenty of benefits, including making you healthier. When you laugh, you reduce your stress levels. When you share a laugh with another person, you immediately feel a bond with that person.
7. Tears.
Tears may be seen negatively, but it’s not all that bad. Sometimes, tears are necessary. It helps put things in perspective. It helps you appreciate life and laughter even more.
8. Nature.
While there’s less of nature now than there was a few millennia ago, there’s still plenty left to appreciate. Even if you live in an urban jungle, you can still take some time to admire mother nature. Appreciate the greenness that plants and trees bring. Look at the animals grazing on grass. Observe and be amazed at how nature takes back what’s hers in abandoned places.
9. Time.
We don’t have an infinite supply of time. The truth is, the moment we’re born, our bodies start counting down how much time we have left. We don’t know exactly when it’s going to end, which is why we can’t let trivial problems in life bring us down. Let’s enjoy the limited amount of time we have here on this planet.
10. Yourself.
Yes, you. Learn to appreciate yourself. You’re not perfect, nobody is. But you’ve come a long way since your mother gave birth to you. Think about all your successes and your failures, your hopes, and your dreams. Then think about the people you’ve met along the way, how you’ve helped them in one way or another. Think about the legacy you’re going to leave behind.
Learn to appreciate everything you have in your life – both good and bad. In the end, they all come together to provide a unique life experience that’s meant to challenge you and bring out the best in you. When you stop worrying about everything and start appreciating every little thing in life, your happiness will become apparent, not just to yourself, but to everyone around you, too.