How can we live simply without the fear of missing out?

14 May, 2025

Discover how practicing gratitude can help shape a life of simplicity from CAP’s Church Partnerships Manager, Bart.

I am an introvert.

For me, that means that having people over for dinner at my house can feel quite challenging at times.

There is, however, one part of these occasions that I particularly enjoy.

As everyone takes their seat for a meal, my boys – aged 17 and 14 – will yell the words “fourth” or “third”.

This seemingly random yelling always catches our guests off guard, and it’s a joy of mine to watch them try and make sense of what is happening.

My greater joy is the opportunity to explain what it means to our guests and invite them to participate.

Every time we sit down to have dinner as a family, we share three things:

  1. A lowlight from our day
  2. A highlight from our day
  3. Three things that we are grateful for.

The yelling part is simply a race to decide which order we’ll share our three things in.

I love listening to what is happening in the lives of the people around me in these moments. The atmosphere shifts as each person is heard and our understanding of one another goes that little bit deeper.

But my favourite part of all is engaging those around me in the practice of expressing gratitide.

Gratitude has been a game changer for me.

As a practice, gratitude has given me great strength to overcome some of the most challenging seasons in my life.

There’s a reason Psalm 100 tells us to “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.”

Studies show that when we shift our focus to the good things He has placed in our lives (Philippians 4:8, James 1:17), there are physical, psychological and social benefits.

Not only does gratitude release dopamine and serotonin (the neurotransmitters for happiness), but when it is practiced regularly, it strengthens our neural pathways and can create a permanent nature of gratitude and positivity within us.

This has been my experience with learning to practice gratitude. In the early days, I sometimes struggled to come up with three simple things to be grateful for. Now, I struggle to keep it to three!

As time has gone on, the peace of God which transcends all understanding has been with me (Philippians 4:7). As I’ve practiced gratitude, my mind has been renewed, and I have been transformed (Romans 12:1-2).

Gratitude reduces our urge for more.

One thing I’ve found in my own journey with gratitude is that I no longer feel the urge to attain more. The dreams and ideas I once held about what ‘the good life’ was have shifted dramatically.

My current circumstances haven’t changed. In fact, in some ways they have become more difficult – but I feel content within them.

I can now live simply without feeling like I am missing out on something. I can experience the joy of everyday life shared with family, friends and God’s good creation as I know and trust that He is in control and knows exactly what I need.

How can I practice gratitude in our busy world?

You could:

  1. Start a gratitude journal, writing down three things that you’re grateful for each day.
  2. Share gratitude at mealtimes with family and friends.
  3. Regularly tell people in your life that you’re grateful for them (and don’t forget to share why).
  4. Verbally thank God for His blessing each and every day. Even the little things!

There are many more ways you can build this practice into your life. While it might feel like a sacrifice of time at first, it will become easier the more that you engage with it.

However you choose to do it, I pray that you would experience the indescribable peace of God and the contentment that can only come from Him.

You may now yell “FIRST” and get writing.