Every month, bloggers everywhere blog about the same topic, a “Let’s Look” post into our lives.

In 2025, we have “looked” at…

November is a look into how we show gratitude. I love this one! Gratitude has been a huge part of my life the last few years.

I don’t think I was ever an ungrateful person, but I was never one that took much time or made huge efforts to express gratitude.

In 2022, I read through the entire bible for the first time. I have read it every year since. I am telling you this because gratitude has been in the forefront of my mind since this.

The bible has shown me how much God loves me, done for me, doing for me, and will do for me. I am so grateful because I don’t deserve or have earned all the blessings that have been bestowed upon me.

So, back to the topic…

Let's Look: How We Show Gratitude

1. FLIP YOUR RESPONSE

Our natural instinct is to be defensive or protective over our lives, children, and belongings. We get upset quickly and are slow to gratitude.

We need to flip that. We need to always start with gratitude.

For example, you get cut off on a busy road, almost getting in a wreck. What is your response? Anger towards the distracted driver or gratitude that God protected you from a wreck?

I fail so many times at this, so please don’t read this like I have mastered this skill. However, it is a skill that must be practiced, a use it or lose it type of skill.

2. PRAY

Praying, or talking, to God is a simple and powerful way to show gratitude. I could write all day about verses in the bible that tell us this exact truth.

God’s will for our lives is to rejoice, pray, and give thanks. God’s will for your life is perfect and far better than what our own good will is. Our number one goal in this world is to be smack dab in the middle of God’s will.

3. EXPRESS GRATITUDE BEFORE PROBLEMS

I can’t tell you how meaningful a note of gratitude can be to a person.

When was the last time you sent an email to a teacher or coworker, just to thank them for what they do for you or your child? Or brought coffee or flowers to someone in your life, just to say thank you.

These small actions can have huge impacts. When problems arise, as they often do, this person will be open to conversing with you respectfully. They will feel safe to express concerns they have. All because they know you appreciate them.

4. SLOW DOWN

Sometimes it is necessary to slow down. When we start zooming through our days, mornings, weekends, we miss moments to thank God.

When you go from laundry, to dishes, to laundry, to carpool, to work, to working out, to homework help, to practice, to baths, to bed- the day can get away from you. I tend to start being annoyed with clothes that are high-quality and comfortable. You can be frustrated that you have healthy kids that need food. You can get tired and exhausted because you actually start seeing your greatest blessings as inconveniences. All because we are moving too fast and doing too much.

It is time to do some self checks- am I doing too much? God might be telling you to slow down and thank him.

5. MAKE GRATITUDE SIMPLE AND SWEET

I got a little deep on #4, so I want to go the opposite direction now. Keep gratitude simple. Send a text to your spouse during the day thanking them for cleaning up breakfast. Make a point to send one “thank you” text a day to someone in your life. Keep it simple and sweet.

If you’ve been reading Kari Miller Blog for long, you know that I write about gratitude a lot! It is an important skill and emotion that I try to grow every single day. I’ll link some gratitude posts below if you want to check them out.

Speaking of gratitude- I am SO THANKFUL that you spend part of your day at KMB. Y’all are an enormous blessing in my life.

Let’s Look: How I Show Gratitude