• Start Here
  • About
  • Collaborate
  • Subscribe
Boots & Hooves Homestead

Boots & Hooves Homestead

From kitchen garden to table

  • garden
  • farm
    • livestock
  • recipes
  • Natural Home
    • Natural Beauty
  • shop

SUBSCRIBE

  • Start Here
  • Recipe Index
  • Farm Life
  • Gardening
  • Natural Home
  • About
  • Shop
Home > Farm Life > Choosing Gratitude Leads to a Simple Life
Home > Farm Life > Choosing Gratitude Leads to a Simple Life

Choosing Gratitude Leads to a Simple Life

August 26, 2017 By Mary Woita

Boots and Hooves Homestead may earn a commission for purchases made after clicking links on this page. View our disclosure policy for details.
forest trees
simple living cultivates gratitude
child handing an adult purple flowers

Over the last few years on the homestead, I’ve learned that choosing gratitude leads to a simple life.

I’d love to say that I choose gratitude each day, but I don’t. Honestly, it has taken a lot of work. We all live in a world that is filled with consumerism.

And instant satisfaction fills the hearts of many people in today’s world. Even though I choose to live a simpler lifestyle, I’m not completely free of many of those desires.

Choosing Gratitude Leads to a Simple Life

It’s not entirely easy to choose gratitude each day. Consumerism pushes us to have more. To have the next best thing.

Getting wrapped up in all our wants, needs, and desires can be a little bit tricky. It can create a life of always wanting more instead of finding joy in what we do have.

little children playing in a sandbox

Gratitude is a choice.

Gratitude really is a choice we must make each day. As a wife and mom, this isn’t always easy. Our natural inclinations lead us towards losing our inner peace and joy from every single annoyance we experience in a day.

Children bickering, or making messes. Husband leaving clothes 2 feet away from the hamper or forgetting to take the trash out.

You know what I’m talking about.

Those simple things that can add up quickly over the course of a day.

But it all starts with how we choose to view these annoyances. It all starts with a thought. Instead of having a negative thought creep in, choose a thought of gratitude.

For us mama’s, we set the tone for our home life and if we choose negative thoughts over those of gratitude, our home begins to fill with negative energy.

For me personally, I have to work every single day to fight these thoughts of annoyances especially towards my spouse. And truthfully, marriage takes a lot of work and being a mama takes a lot of work.

Don’t get me wrong, I am truly thankful for this life that God has given to me. But it all definitely takes a lot of work and it all starts with a choice.

mother with her three children

Gratitude opens the door to simplicity.

Once we started to make that shift towards being thankful for the gifts the Good Lord provides, I have realized I no longer crave the next best thing.

This shift helps with living a simple life and helps to overcome the desires for buying frivolous things.

“Be nothing solicitous; but in every thing, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasseth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. And may my God supply all your want, according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

– Philippians 4: 6-7 & 19

Gratitude helps to calm the craving for more. When we choose to be thankful for the blessings we have, we stop desiring things that we don’t need.

group of chickens in a grassy run

Gratitude & simple living = less stress.

Around here, we aren’t true minimalists, but we strive to live a simple lifestyle. In the beginning of our simple living journey, I started with a massive declutter session.

In doing so, my eyes were opened up to how easily having too many things got in the way of happiness. It really just led to extra stress.

All of the extra cleaning I was doing was really stressing me out. Cleaning becomes so much easier and less of a chore when there are fewer things to get in the way.

The home becomes a sanctuary for us to relax and recharge after a hard day of work on the homestead. It becomes a place for our farm kids to grow and learn without excessive clutter.

It teaches our children to appreciate what they have been blessed with.

And according to this study, gratitude improves overall health and well being.

small chicken next to a fence in the chicken run

6 Ways to add gratitude to your day.

#1 Spend a few moments each day to write in a gratitude journal.

#2 Pray. “Always rejoice. Pray without ceasing. In all things give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you all.” – 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

#3 My husband and I started a practice each day of sharing a highlight of our day in which we were most thankful. I think its a great way to keep gratitude fresh in our minds.

#4 Spend time to reflect on the week and focus on moments of gratitude.

#5 Write a thank you card or letter. I don’t know about you, but I still love to receive regular old letters via snail mail. Taking the time to write out a little note of gratitude will definitely make someone’s day!

#6 Count your blessings!

How do you choose gratitude each day?

More Farm Life:

Share this Post:

Filed Under: Farm Life

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. Judi says

    November 4, 2017 at 3:42 pm

    Mary,
    I so enjoyed reading about you life ! You are a very lucky lady!! My husband a I want to have a simple lifestyle, and make our own way! We are taking one step at a time, fruit trees and a garden this year, and I hope chickens by Jan. We live in Ga. On a few acres .
    God has blessed you with 3 beautiful children, and a husband that is great full of what is important in life !!
    Sincerely, Judi Cain

    Reply
    • Mary Beth says

      November 5, 2017 at 4:59 am

      Hi Judi,

      Thank you so much for the wonderful compliments. 🙂 We are very thankful for all we’ve been given. How exciting for you and your journey. You’re definitely doing it the right way…a little at a time! Perfect way to avoid becoming overwhelmed. Good luck with the chickens. They are a gateway animal haha. 😉 We actually just picked up six more yesterday.

      God bless…

      Reply
  2. Thomas Bryant says

    March 20, 2019 at 11:31 pm

    Once I started counting my blessings and looking at where I would be if I kept going the way that I was. I realized that this is the happiest I’ve been. Thank you for your article. Tom.

    Reply

about mary

Hi, I’m Mary! A Traditional Catholic (TLM), loving rancher’s wife, homeschooling mama of 4.

I’m passionate about my faith, family, gardening, and cooking. And of course, coffee.

I help busy moms, like you, live a more simple & natural life by making real food ingredient & non-toxic product swaps, without extra stress.

 

Learn More

browse

from scratch recipes
kitchen gardening
natural home
farm life

popular posts

homemade laundry detergent in a mason jar with a measuring spoon

DIY Natural Laundry Detergent (without bar soap!)

chickens ranging in the run

Why Not Free Range Chickens

diy greenhouse in the garden

How to Build a Greenhouse (free plans!)

white ceramic egg tray filled with farm fresh eggs in various colors

Do you need to refrigerate eggs?

featured brand logos

get all posts
via email

  • Affiliate Disclaimer
  • User Agreement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Me
  • Amazon
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

copyright 2023 | design by grace + vine studios

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View our disclosure policy for details. The content on Boots & Hooves Homestead is provided for educational and informational purposes only.