100 Ways to Find Gratitude During Tough Times

Are you looking for ways to experience gratitude during tough times? Check out this HUGE list of 100 ways to find gratitude during tough times. Use this list as a reminder of things to be grateful for or use these as journaling prompts in your gratitude journal.

Why Focus on Gratitude During Challenging Situations?

When times are hard, often the last thing we want to do is focus on gratitude. Yet these are the times when it’s most important to look for the good in the situation.

No matter how challenging or difficult, there is always something to celebrate and ways to find joy.

As a Christian, I believe that God is in control. I can continue to trust and praise Him even in the midst of the most difficult storms of life.

Here at The Holy Mess, I often host a gratitude challenge during the month of November as we focus on things we are grateful for around Thanksgiving. This is a wonderful practice but it’s important to continue our focus on gratitude through the year, especially when times are tough.

I have a morning routine that includes time spent reading the Bible, journaling, and writing at least 5 things I am grateful for. This practice is especially meaningful during tough times.

100 Ways to Find Gratitude in Challenging Circumstances

Here are 100 things to be grateful for in the midst of tough times. Thank you to readers of The Holy Mess Facebook page who contributed to this amazing list.

Gratitude During Tough Times – Ideas from The Holy Mess Readers

As of the time I am writing this post, we are currently on stay-at-home orders throughout much of the United States and world. I asked readers of The Holy Mess to share ways they are grateful despite this challenging circumstance. Here’s what they had to say.

1. All the children’s authors who have given permission for their books to be read-aloud online. – Shannon Y.
2. More family time. -Jenny H.
3. Adult color books to keep me calm. – Sara B.
4. More time with my husband. – Katie H.
5. Great neighbors! – Linda H.
6. That Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. – Debbie H.
7. That my job is considered “essential”. – Cindy P.
8. My pets! – Crystal R.
9. Praise and worship Music. – Laurie K.
10. Still have a job when so many do not. – April B.
11. Healthy children. – Jacquline S.
12. Grateful to be alive even though I’ve been on dialysis for 6 years. – Cynthia V.
13. Great friends! – Pat D.
14. A roof over my head and a warm bed. – Alysa D.
15. The chance to slow down and recharge. – Sharon Q.
16. That we can still get together via social media. – Becky H.
17. That my son is safe at home from a deployment. – Carol R.
18. The ability to go for walks. – Bernice S.
19. Unrushed time with my children. – Debbie G.
20. That I can work from home. – Heidi B.
21. The sun is shining! – Darrell M.
22. My family is in good health. – Christine O.
23. To enjoy getting projections done. – Lady E.
24. A full belly! – Lin P.
25. My Bible. – Mary S.
26. That I’ve been able to rest my body and soul. – Tina C.
27. More quiet time with Jesus. – Allison D.
28. The chance to be humble before God. – Jim T.
29. Time to do home projects! – Melissa P.
30. Skype with family and friends. – Janet B.
31. Personal relationship with Jesus. – Veronica H.
32. Technology to Face Time the grandchildren. – Shirley T.
33. To be able to still provide for my family. – Trent M.
34. A safe place to call home. – Bonnie L.
35. That I can donate goods to others. – Carolyn H.
36. For another day to live life! – Gail C.
37. Worshiping God in my living room. – Tori M.
38. For our safety! – Debbie B.
39. That other people are encouraging me. – Julia M.
40. Clean water and craft supplies! – Andrea B.
41. Slower pace of life. – Rachel R.
42. God’s grace! – Ann K.
43. Zoom! – Kandy C.
44. To be challenged to do better! – Anna Y.
45. Experimenting in cooking. – Lydia R.
46. Two family members recovered from the virus. – Susan J.
47. That we can do family history research online. – Elizabeth B.
48. More time to workout. – Edythe G.
49. That God is in control. – Laurie M.
50. More time in my garden. – Lisabeth B.
51. For my friends! – Breezy M.
52. Homeschooling my son. – Laura M.
53. More time in my day. – Susan S.
54. For my pastor and his wife. – Connie J.
55. Living in a time where it’s easier to communicate with others across the world. – Amy B.
56. For all my gadgets that help me stay up to date on all the news. – Roberta H.
57. Books!! – Anna M.
58. Nature walks with my grandchildren. – Marsha T.
59. Online church services. – Lyn S.
60. My husband and dog. – Peggy M.
61. Spring-time! – Jackie J.
62. First responders and military. – Cally H.
63. Access to medicine. – Janica H.
64. Slower schedule. – Elizabeth W.
65. Getting more time with my daughter in college. – Daniela W.
66. Family dinners all together. – Alissa V.
67. Spending more time at home. – Sheila S.
68. Movies and games. – Dawn. P.
69. Being able to work remotely. – Shannon S.
70. For the essential workers that keep our communities running. – Pat R.
71. That I still get a paycheck to pay my bills. – Camelia C.
72. Netflix. – Valerie W.
73. My garden! – Katherine W.
74. Coffee. – Valerie L.
75. More time with my husband and son. – Christine K.
76. Listening to the birds singing. – Kelly U.
77. Fresh air in the morning. – Brenda K.
78. Extra walks with the dog. – Ann W.
79. A job I love. – Starla H.
80. God gave me a new day to count His blessings. – Karen P.
81. Extra bible study time. – Rebecca G.
82. Disney+ – Lynn W.
83. Friends who check on me. – Melanie C.
84. The internet! – Stephanie N.
85. Nursing home staff taking good care of my family. – Darlene P.
86. Pizza! – Barbara W.
87. Neighbors who put donuts and bible verses on my front porch. – Donna M.
88. Time to strengthen my faith. – Jenny H.
89. Waking up healthy. – Susan S.
90. Home-cooked meals. – Carol S.
91. Time to start healthy habits. – Lacey B.
92. Toilet paper. – Beth F.
93. Projects to occupy my day. – Trisha C.
94. Sunsets. – Jack C.
95. More time to bake. – Amanda M.
96. Family game nights. – Laurel Z.
97. Learning new ways to be creative. – Stacey S.
98. Our family is getting closer. – Melanie S.
99. Being able to order necessities online. – Betty C.
100. Indoor plumbing. – Melanie B.

How gratitude can help you through hard times?

Be intentional about looking for those hidden treasures during difficult times.

Take the time to find something to be grateful for on those dark days. For example, a job loss can be scary, however, it can force you to see what is most important in life and redirect you to find a more suitable job with your passions.

Share your gratitude ideas with others around you. Your positive spirit will be an encouragement to them.

What makes people grateful during hard times?

Check out what Greater Good magazine had to say about the science behind gratitude. Expressing gratitude changes your experience, boost your immune system, and helps you manage difficulties in a more positive way.

“Trials and suffering can actually refine and deepen gratefulness if we allow them to show us not to take things for granted. Research says gratitude also helps us cope with the crisis. Consciously cultivating an attitude of gratitude builds up a sort of psychological immune system that can cushion us when we fall. There is scientific evidence that grateful people are more resilient to stress, whether minor everyday hassles or major personal upheavals. The contrast between suffering and redemption serves as the basis for one of my tips for practicing gratitude: remember the bad.”

How do you express gratitude to someone during hard times?

Are you wondering how you can express gratitude? Here are some ideas to get you started.

5 Ways To Express Gratitude To Someone

• Random Acts of Kindness – Can you do something good for a neighbor or leave a gift for a delivery driver? They will appreciate it and you will feel good in doing it.
• Be Respectful – When you are going through a stressful situation, emotions are high. It’s easy to slip into being short or impatient as worry takes over. Take a minute to breath and think the best about the other person, whether it’s someone in a store or a family member.
• Tip Your Food Service Staff – Especially during this time of stay-at-home orders, people in the food industry need our support.
• Volunteer In Your Community – If you can’t volunteer in the usual ways, is there something else you can do instead? Improving our prayer life for others is something all of us can do. You can also take a meal to someone in need and leave it on their doorstep.
• Write A Note Expressing Your Gratitude – Now more than ever, hand written cards and notes mean so much.

What other ideas do you have for ways to show gratitude?

How Gratitude during tough times leads to a happier life?

According to Psychology Today, expressing gratitude will lead to more happiness, increased mood, and decreased stress. It can even improve your health.

“Feeling and expressing gratitude turns our mental focus to the positive, which compensates for our brain’s natural tendency to focus on threats, worries, and negative aspects of life. As such, gratitude creates positive emotions, like joy, love, and contentment, which research shows can undo the grip of negative emotions like anxiety. Fostering gratitude can also broaden your mind and create positive cycles of thinking and behaving in healthy, positive ways.”

Gratitude During Tough Times

What do you think of our reader’s huge list of 100 ways to have gratitude during tough times? What would you add? Share about it in the comments below.

More posts to encourage you to show gratitude in tough times

Faith Over Fear Bible Reading Plan – Have your emotions been higher than normal lately? Are you experiencing more fear and anxiety because of the events that have shaken our communities and world? This 30 Day Faith Over Fear Bible Reading Plan is great to read and study to help calm your fears and keep you focused on Christ in hard times. Plus, we are hosting a live devotion plan where we will all read and study together as we focus on God during these challenging times. Keep reading to get the details.

The Gratitude Challenge – Gratitude grows faith. Participate in a gratitude challenge during the month of November in order to find more joy and meaning in life – The Holy Mess Gratitude Challenge.

Gratitude Daily Bible Reading Plan – Gratitude impacts faith. By recognizing and expressing to God gratitude and thankfulness, you will deepen your faith and grow in wisdom. Use this 30 Days of Gratitude Daily Bible Reading Plan to grow in gratitude to God for who He is and the ways He is working in your life.

Daily Action Plan -Does it sometimes seem like the day gets away with you? Use our free printable Daily Action Plan to keep on task and get more accomplished each day.

Praising God in the Storm – Have you recently experienced a storm in your life and wondered how it would be possible to praise God in the storm? No matter the type of storm, this Bible reading plan for 30 Days of Praising God in the Storms of Life, is for you.