Showing Yourself Gratitude

There is one area of gratitude we don’t talk about very often, and that’s the kind we need to extend to ourselves. Just saying that out loud might make some of us a little uncomfortable, and dare I say it, feel as if it’s ‘self-centered’. But – are you ready for this? Brace yourself, because I’m here to tell you—it’s not. It’s not selfish, prideful, or self-serving. Not in the least. Join me on the porch today as we talk about the value and importance of offering ourselves the grace of gratitude. It may just even be one of the most appreciated lessons you can learn.

Transcript

Podcast Episode 183 -  Showing Yourself Gratitude

We’ve been talking a lot about being thankful for the blessings in our lives—our homes, families, communities, even the small everyday joys like a good cup of coffee or a porch swing at sunset. We’ve also discussed gratitude for the workers, showing it in our communities, and teaching our children how to offer it as well.  And that kind of gratitude is good. We need it as part of our everyday simple lives. It softens our edges and opens our eyes. But there’s one area of gratitude we don’t talk about very often, and that’s the kind we need to extend to ourselves.

Now I know - just saying that out loud might make some of us a little uncomfortable, and dare I say it, feel as if it’s ‘self-centered’. I know there are days I feel that way, and the reason we think that is because we’re often taught to put others first, to be humble, to keep our focus outward. And those are good and noble things. Really, they are. But somewhere along the way, we started believing that gratitude was something we only gave away—that somehow, thanking ourselves, or even acknowledging our own efforts, was prideful or selfish.

But – are you ready for this? Brace yourself, because I’m here to tell you—it’s not. It’s not selfish, prideful, or self-serving. Not in the least.

Showing yourself gratitude isn’t about puffing yourself up or demanding recognition. It’s about grace. It’s about learning to appreciate the ways you’ve shown up, the effort you’ve put in, the strength you’ve carried through hard days, and the kindness you’ve poured out even when your own cup felt empty.

It’s about pausing long enough to say, “Hey, I may not be perfect, but I’m doing the best I can—and that’s worth being thankful for.”

When we live a simple life - it creates space for reflection. And in that space, sometimes what rises to the surface is a list of things we haven’t done. The weeds we didn’t pull. The words we wish we hadn’t said. The list we didn’t finish. The dream we put on hold.

But instead of sitting in that place of self-criticism, what if we turned our attention to what did get done? What if we noticed how we kept going when we were tired? How we made time for someone who needed us? How we got up and faced the day when it would’ve been easier to stay curled up under the covers?

Gratitude for ourselves means choosing to focus on the progress rather than the perfection. It means letting go of unrealistic expectations and honoring the fact that we’re growing, learning, and doing the best we can with what we’ve been given.

It means looking back at the person you were five or ten years ago and realizing - maybe you didn’t know then what you know now, but you carried yourself through. You showed up. You fought through things you thought might break you. You learned, and you adapted, and you grew. And you deserve the thanks.

Sometimes I think about how we encourage other people - we send them notes, we pray for them, we offer encouragement. But we forget to speak gently to ourselves. We forget to celebrate the small victories—the laundry folded, the bills paid on time, the boundaries kept, the meal made from scratch, the hard conversation handled with grace.

Every one of those things is worthy of a little gratitude.

And not just for what we do, but for who we are. Are you the one your family leans on? The one who remembers birthdays, who says prayers in the middle of the night, who picks up the pieces when life falls apart? That steady, loving presence you offer to others - that comes from somewhere deep inside. That’s worth acknowledging. That’s worth honoring.

Showing yourself gratitude also means learning to rest - not because everything is finished, but because you are worthy of rest. It means taking a breath and saying, “I’ve done enough for today.” That is not laziness. That’s wisdom. That’s respect. That’s trust that the world doesn’t rest solely on your shoulders.

It also means showing yourself grace in the middle of mistakes. You burned dinner? It’s okay. The laundry didn’t get put away? That’s alright. You lost your temper, or forgot an appointment, or skipped a task? You’re human. And guess what? Humans are allowed to be forgiven—even by themselves.

When we practice gratitude toward ourselves, we begin to silence that harsh inner voice that tells us we’re never enough. We start to shift from shame to compassion. And that shift doesn’t make us weaker - it makes us stronger. Because a soul that’s treated with kindness and understanding grows. It flourishes.

You know, in the Bible, we’re told to love our neighbor as ourselves. That means we’re supposed to love ourselves too—not in a prideful way, but in a way that honors who God created us to be. And part of that love includes gratitude.

God doesn’t ask us to walk around criticizing ourselves constantly. He invites us to see ourselves the way He does—loved, worthy, and precious. And if He is patient with us, why shouldn’t we be patient with ourselves?

Maybe you’ve had a hard season—one of those stretches of time where everything felt heavy and the road ahead seemed long, full of potholes, and even downright dark and scary. If that’s you, I want to encourage you to pause right now and thank yourself for making it through. For showing up. For getting out of bed. For praying, even when the answers didn’t come quickly. For not giving up. And if you’re still on that road, thank yourself for taking the next step, for facing it with courage, and for the wisdom you gain from stepping in the first pothole that teaches you how to avoid the next ones.

You’re still here. And that’s not nothing. That’s everything.

Sometimes showing ourselves gratitude also means creating space for things that bring us joy—not because we’ve earned it, but because we’re allowed to delight in this life. Whether it’s sitting down to read a book, going for a walk in the woods, picking wildflowers, or baking something just because it makes you smile—those are acts of appreciation. They’re little gifts we give ourselves, reminders that this life is beautiful and that we’re allowed to enjoy it.

I think it’s important to model this kind of gratitude, too. Especially if you’re raising children or caring for others. When they see you speak kindly to yourself, when they hear you say, “I’m proud of how I handled that,” or “Today was hard, but I made it through,” you’re teaching them how to treat themselves with grace, too.

You’re showing them that strength isn’t about pretending we don’t struggle. It’s about being honest about the struggle and thankful for the endurance. It’s about celebrating the effort, not just the outcome.

One simple way to begin practicing this is by ending the day with a question: What did I do today that I’m grateful to myself for? Maybe it’s that you chose to respond with kindness. Maybe you went on a walk even though you were tired. Maybe you made the bed when you didn’t feel like it. Maybe you simply gave yourself the permission to take a nap—and didn’t feel guilty about it afterward.

Write it down if you want to. Say it out loud. Whisper it in prayer. It doesn’t have to be big. Just be intentional. Gratitude is a habit—and when you turn it inward now and then, it begins to heal the parts of you that have long felt overlooked.

You’re not just the giver of grace—you’re a recipient, too.

There’s something powerful about learning to see ourselves with kindness. About saying, “I’m grateful for who I’m becoming. I’m grateful for how far I’ve come.” It keeps us grounded. It helps us live from a place of peace rather than pressure. And it reminds us that we’re not just managing life—we’re living it.

So today, if no one’s told you this, let me be the one: I’m proud of you. For all the little things no one sees. For the way you carry your family. For the quiet strength it takes to live with intention. For the grace you show others—and the grace you’re learning to show yourself.

Take a deep breath. Let it in.

You’re doing beautifully.