This new year let gratitude change your life

“Thanks are the highest form of thought, and .. gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder”(G K Chesterton)

Many of us assess our lives at the end of a year and, as we look forward to the next, wonder whether it will be more of the same. Maybe you're feeling discouraged because things haven't turned out as you'd planned? I’ve been there, but these days, I find it helps to be thankful rather than focus on past disappointments and difficulties. When we find ourselves stuck in the doldrums, identifying even one thing to be thankful for can genuinely shift our emotional state.

Giving thanks is an important theme in the Bible: “I will always thank the Lord; I will never stop praising him” (Psalm 34). Recent positive psychology research confirms this ancient Bible wisdom and agrees that gratitude is the single best predictor of human well-being. Grateful people experience better sleep, improved mood, stronger immune function, healthier hearts, and more fulfilling relationships.

Find a thankfulness that’s deeper than mere material things. Reflect on God’s provision and protection and how good and just he is. The meaning of Jesus for your life and the forgiveness and hope that his death can bring to you.

If we give thanks to God for each new day and see it as a holy and precious gift from Him, our lives will be transformed. Nothing releases supernatural joy in our lives more than being thankful.

So here’s a proposal for 2026: instead of New Year’s resolutions, create a list of ‘New Year gratitudes’. Establish a daily ‘gratitude time’ to thank God. Someone I know was negative and depressed until they decided to write down three positive things to be thankful for each morning. Over the following months, I noticed a remarkable transformation in this person’s mindset, speech, and body language. It was amazing. Having a heart of gratitude can work for you, too. Start today and watch how gratitude unlocks joy in your life.​​​​​​​​​​​​     

Start this 10 Day Challenge. Each day be thankful for that day’s theme.

1. Family and Friends

2. Nature

3. Music I love

4. Creative things I like

5. Favourite Foods

6. Animals I Love

7. Holidays (those I have had)

8. My Health

9. My Community

10. My Work (Now or before I retired)