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Being Thankful for My Life

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Published: Mar 5, 2024

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Being Thankful For My Life

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Essay About Being Grateful: 5 Examples Plus Prompts

Looking at life in a more appreciative way is key to success and happiness. Read this guide if you want to write an essay about being grateful.

Keeping a positive outlook on life can be challenging in a world where we constantly hear bad news. However, it is important to stop focusing on the negative and become more grateful for what we have.

Being grateful is a principal practice to follow to live a healthy, productive life. Even when you feel like nothing good has happened, think of the simpler aspects of life, things as commonplace as having a meal, a bed to sleep on, and even waking up to another day. Being grateful can help you focus your energy on something more positive, lightening your load when life gets too heavy. 

If you want to write an essay about being grateful, here are some essay examples for inspiration. 

For help with your essay, check our round-up of best essay writing apps .

1. 7 Things That I Am Grateful For. What About You? by Steve Spring

2. how gratitude can help you through hard times by robert emmons, 3. feel and express gratitude by dr. hyder zahed, 4. the importance of being grateful by deborah jepsen, 5. choose to be grateful. it will make you happier. by arthur c. brooks, 1. what is gratitude to you, 2. what are you grateful for, 3. why should you be more grateful, 4. is gratitude still “good” even if you don’t mean it, 5. why has gratitude become such a hot topic.

“I have a lot to be grateful for. If I had been born in another time or place my life might have been very different. I might not have had been blessed with the life I have now. I have an amazing life. It is great to be focused on my goals and trying to improve my life…But, I need to make sure that I am taking some time to be grateful for everything and everyone that I have in my life. If you want to be happy you need to learn to be grateful. What are you grateful for today?”

Spring lists seven things he is grateful for and explains why he is thankful for each. These include his home, food, and, most significantly, the mistakes he has made in the past. He provides excellent insight into why he is grateful for these seemingly basic items and does an excellent job of justifying his points. Ultimately, the takeaway from this article is that while life is not perfect, we always have a lot to be grateful for. Gratitude is a choice.

“Being grateful is a choice, a prevailing attitude that endures and is relatively immune to the gains and losses that flow in and out of our lives. When disaster strikes, gratitude provides a perspective from which we can view life in its entirety and not be overwhelmed by temporary circumstances. Yes, this perspective is hard to achieve—but my research says it is worth the effort.”

This essay reflects on being grateful even when experiencing tough times. It is easy to be grateful when all is well in our lives.

Robert Emmons suggests performing a comparison between good times and bad times. You may then realize that your situation is better than you thought. He also says that rather than thinking about a difficult time or a particular challenge in a negative light, we can think about it in the sense that it has helped us grow, making it something to be grateful for. 

Embracing gratitude can be a challenge in itself, but it is ultimately self-serving. Being grateful makes you count your blessings and makes you feel good.

“For, whatever you genuinely feel grateful for, you will have multiply in your life. Think about it, if you gave a gift to another and that person told you, ‘I am so grateful for the gift. I can’t believe how kind you were to give it to me. You have made me so very happy,’ you’d want to give that person another gift. So you could be feeling genuinely appreciated while at the same time bring a little happiness to another.”

Zahed, in his essay, reminds us to be grateful for everything that contributes to our happiness and wellbeing, no matter how small. Similar to Emmons, he also discusses turning sorrow and disaster into something to be grateful for, in a sense. Being grateful is a commitment that we must choose to enhance our lives. It’s all about how you measure your success.

“Gratitude promotes optimism and helps us to develop a more positive outlook. It lets us pause for a moment to reflect on something we have in our life right now instead of always striving for more … the next goal, the new dress, the new toy, the new car, or the house renovation …Gratitude is simply cultivating a genuine appreciation for what we already have.”

From a more scientific perspective, Jepsen discusses the health benefits of gratitude, both psychological and physical. Gratitude makes us more optimistic and helps us reflect on what we have rather than constantly wanting more. She also encourages readers to share their appreciation with others, even through something as simple as a smile. 

“Be honest: When was the last time you were grateful for the spots on a trout? More seriously, think of the small, useless things you experience — the smell of fall in the air, the fragment of a song that reminds you of when you were a kid. Give thanks.”

This opinion piece by Arthur C is similar to the other works on this list. Brooks encourages readers to choose gratitude. He says that acting grateful can help you feel grateful and that being grateful can uplift the mood of those around us. Gratitude offers benefits for the individual and the collective. Finally, he says to find gratitude in everything, no matter how small it is. 

Essay Prompts About Being Grateful

Consider how you were introduced to the concept of gratitude as a child. Was it discussed with you, and were you encouraged to express gratitude, or is it something you have come to understand and appreciate in adulthood? How do you personally feel about being grateful? Are there any experiences in which you wish you acted more gratefully? Explore gratitude through your own experience.

As illustrated by Steve Spring, it can be beneficial to list the things you are grateful for and maybe discover a few more you had not considered along the way. Categorize aspects of your life and the parts for which you are grateful. You could then perform a comparison with someone from a different background or country and speculate on how your lists may differ. Finally, consider how quickly a person’s life can change. Should tragedy befall you, would you still be able to find things to be grateful for?

This angle allows you to showcase inspirational examples of the benefits of gratitude. Why is it important to be grateful and maintain a positive outlook on life? And what do people get out of it? The essay examples above offer excellent sources for this prompt. There are measurable benefits.

Some would say it is important to show gratitude even if you don’t mean it sincerely. Others argue that it would be worse to be insincere. What do you think? Does insincerity qualify as gratitude, even if you try to be polite or act kindly to spare someone’s feelings? Or is genuine gratitude something else altogether? If we cannot offer sincere thanks, are we actually being grateful?

In recent times people are talking more about the benefits of gratitude and researching to prove its merits. The popularity of gratitude journaling is vast; you can purchase bespoke gratitude journals to record your thoughts on the topic daily and even take a course to learn how to do it. Investigate where this trend originated and examine how it has been embraced throughout society.  

If you’d like to learn more, in this guide our writer explains how to write an argumentative essay .

Martin is an avid writer specializing in editing and proofreading. He also enjoys literary analysis and writing about food and travel.

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21 Things to be Thankful For Today (With Examples!)

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Updated on January 29, 2023

Being thankful is not dependent on how many things you have to be thankful for. It’s based on what you choose to be thankful for. So, what are you thankful for today?

When the world seems full of challenges and hurdles, you might need some inspiration on what you can be thankful for. Seeing that gratitude is linked to happiness, you have all the more reason to practice thankfulness every once in a while.

In this article, I’ve listed 21 unique and inspiring things to be thankful for. I’ve asked different people and tried creating the most varying list to inspire you to be grateful.

Being grateful is related to an increase in your happiness

Being thankful is linked to improved quality of sleep, 1. thankful for having a loving dog, 2. thankful for having a caring parent, 3. thankful for the good deeds that exist in this world, 4. thankful for enjoying time spent with my family, 5. thankful for a great show on netflix, 6. thankful for the beautiful sunlight, 7. thankful for the many good memories in my life, 8. thankful for having a roof above my head, 9. thankful for experiencing the struggles in life, 10. thankful for being able to go on walks, 11. thankful for spending time in nature, 12. thankful for getting to spend time with my girlfriend, 13. thankful for waking up each morning with the birds outside of my window, 14. thankful for appreciating music, 15. thankful for getting to be vulnerable, 16. thankful for seeing my strawberry plant grow, 17. thankful for the not-so-great stuff in life, 18. thankful for my life partner, 19. thankful for all the farmers and drivers who nourish us with fresh food, 20. thankful for technology, 21. thankful for the feeling of putting on a fresh pair of socks, wrapping up, why should you be thankful today.

As I mentioned in the intro, there are plenty of reasons to be thankful today.

Even when luck doesn’t seem to be on your side, it’s always good to try to consider some of the things that are still kind to you.

But why exactly should you be thankful? How exactly does a little gratitude improve your life? There have been multiple fascinating studies that prove multiple links between thankfulness and positive factors in life, but I want to highlight two of them here.

One of the most detailed studies on thankfulness was conducted in 2003 by Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough . They monitored the happiness of a group of people after having asked the following question:

“There are many things in our lives, both large and small, that we might be grateful about. Think back over the past week and write down on the lines below up to five things in your life that you are grateful or thankful for.”

The study showed that people were approximately 10% happier when encouraged to think of things they’re grateful for.

10 percent may sound inconsequential, but if you practice gratitude every day, these small improvements will compound and may improve your mental health in a significant way.

💡 By the way : Do you find it hard to be happy and in control of your life? It may not be your fault. To help you feel better, we’ve condensed the information of 100’s of articles into a 10-step mental health cheat sheet to help you be more in control. 👇

Don’t Miss Out On Happiness

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In addition, another study reviewed the influence of gratitude on the quality of sleep.

This study tested whether individual differences in gratitude are related to sleep quality. Gratitude predicted greater subjective sleep quality and sleep duration, and less sleep latency and daytime dysfunction. These results were found after studying 400 people of all ages.

Long story short, thinking about things to be thankful for and grateful for before going to bed is linked to a better quality of sleep. This is also why it’s good to maintain a gratitude journal right before going to sleep!

What are you thankful for today?

Here are 21 examples of what you can be thankful for today. These examples are from real people, as I went online and asked around:

What is something that you are grateful for? For example, you can be grateful for someone smiling at you, for a beautiful sunset, or for some nice music that you recently listened to. Whatever comes to your mind is OK!

Who’s thankful: Suset Laboy

I am deeply grateful for my coffee-loving dog. Every morning, as soon as he smells the coffee my sister is making, he runs to the kitchen because he loves the smell. When she is done, he chases her to the couch and sit on her and tries to convince her to give him some coffee. It is both hilarious and heartwarming, and I have started looking forward to this little morning ritual that brings some much needed levity into our days.

Who’s thankful: Nancy Osoro

I always start my day with a little gratitude as soon as my feet hit the floor. But lately, I have been very grateful for my mom who is constantly reminding me to drink my fresh ginger tea to keep me healthy during these crazy and stressful times. Despite a 7-hour time difference, she makes it a point of calling every day. It makes me realize how lucky I am.

Who’s thankful: Leia Kalani

We live in a crazy world and it’s far too easy to only see the negative around us. I am so grateful every time I see someone do a good deed for someone else, even a small gesture can have a huge impact. Whether it’s helping a blind person cross the street, carrying groceries for the elderly, or even holding the door open for someone, these good deeds rekindle my belief in the good of humanity. It’s easy to get bogged down by society but opening your eyes and seeing the good can make you thankful that there are still good people in the world.

This list wouldn’t be complete without a specific mention of family.

The truth is, I love spending time with my family, mainly my parents, brother, and sister. I’m thankful for the time my brother, sister and I ran a marathon together. Or the many dinners at my parents’ with the entire family. Or when my father takes my brother and me to Austria for a couple of days of hiking in the mountains.

I am extremely thankful for having a loving family, and it’s something that I should always try to remember when I’m feeling down or unhappy.

Who’s thankful: Nancy Irwin

I’m grateful for the amazing cast, set designers, and costumes of The Crown. I am so grateful that I can curl up in a soft blanket on my sofa and binge this amazing educational, historical, fascinating show during my free time now.

Who’s thankful: Joy Rains

I’m grateful for sunlight! Yesterday afternoon, a sunbeam entered my home through the dining room window. Bright yellow circles of light landed on the legs of my dining room chairs. Each chair looked to be adorned with glistening jewels. I smiled, grateful to be a witness to nature’s magic.

This is something that I’m personally very grateful for in my life.

I keep an entire memory journal dedicated to remembering the many good memories of my life.

I find that remembering good memories helps me maintain a happy mind. Thinking back about that time that I laughed my ass off about something silly brings a smile to my face. This is something I try to do daily, whenever I find a moment to stand still and think about my life.

Who’s thankful: Tessa Hull

I’m grateful for knowing that I’m not “stuck” in the house but “safe” in the house while others out there cannot be so lucky, either not having a roof over their head or not feeling safe in their own home. Knowing how to reframe my thoughts when I’m feeling rubbish helps. I’m also super grateful for a steady supply of Italian cheese. Because not everything you’re grateful for needs to be so serious.

Who’s thankful: Noelle Creamer

Something that I am grateful for are struggles. To me, they are a gift. Rather than living a life of luxury and ease, my struggles over the years have taught me value, wisdom, and compassion. They have led me to spiritual growth. The greater the challenge I face, the more I learn, the more I progress, and the stronger I become. For that, I am grateful.

Who’s thankful: Emily Adams

I am grateful to have my health and the fact that I can still spend time in nature. On my walk today I was able to see four baby foxes and just soak it all in and I am grateful for that.

Who’s thankful: Nekeshia Hammond

I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to spend time in nature. Whether it is taking the time to watch a sunset, spending time on a beach, or enjoying time in the mountains (if I’m visiting another place), nature offers such peace of mind. As we can all get so busy with the day-to-day, it’s nice to unwind, take some deep breaths, and focus on the beauty that nature has to offer.

This is one that I personally wanted to include in this list. I’m incredibly grateful for the fact that my girlfriend and I somehow found each other in this world with over 7 billion people.

My relationship is one of my biggest happiness factors . I love my girlfriend and she makes my life happier on a daily basis. It almost sounds cheesy to write it down, but I just don’t want to take this relationship for granted. I feel lucky to have her in my life and wouldn’t want to imagine what it’d be like if it was any different.

It’s one of the things I’m most thankful for in life.

Who’s thankful: Lynell Ross

Each morning, I am treated with a visit from these precious little birds, first flying back and forth, then hovering in front of the glass as if they are saying good morning before they sit to drink their nectar. I love seeing their tiny little hummingbird shape and color so close up, reminding me to be aware of nature, which is so comforting and peaceful.

This is another one that I personally wanted to add to the list.

If you still have your hearing, then you should be grateful for the beauty of sound. The fact that multiple sound waves combined form music that can carry emotion, tension, and excitement is something that we often take for granted.

Music has the power to move. I personally experience this every once in a while, when a song sucks me in and takes me on a journey. This journey always ends up putting a smile on my face, and sometimes even brings me to tears. Tears of happiness, that is.

The fact that we’re able to hear and appreciate sounds and music is definitely something to be thankful for.

Who’s thankful: Michelle Kuei

I am grateful for all the connections I am able to make when I let my guard down and become vulnerable. Being able to use my vulnerability as a superpower to share my story with others provides healing in the heart of others. It gives them strength and comfort knowing they are not alone. This brings me joy, fulfillment, and purpose in my heart. I am grateful for the connections I have made through being vulnerable and sharing my story.

Who’s thankful: Chris Kaiser

One small thing I’m super grateful for is seeing the flowers on the very first strawberry plant I ever planted. We planted it about 3 weeks ago on our balcony, and since then I’m diligently counting every single flower it produces (13 in total so far). Every tiny new flower puts a broad smile to my face.

Who’s thankful: Allen Klein

This may sound strange, but I’m grateful for the not-so-great stuff in my life. They are my greatest teachers. For example, I learned about living fully from those who have passed on. I’ve learned to appreciate my body more from the times things don’t function as they should. And now, I’m learning about being grateful for the parks in my neighborhood now that I have to shelter in place during this pandemic.

Who’s thankful: Saurabh Jindal

The biggest gift to me has been my wife, Rashmi Agarwal. She has been an unflinching pillar of support as I have gone through many difficult times while trying to build my start-up. She is one of the smartest persons I have met and has an uncanny ability to look at any situation from multiple angles. As an entrepreneur, I sometimes work on my own and with small teams – and with her help I am able to achieve much more than what I would otherwise.

Who’s thankful: Naz Beheshti

I’m grateful for tasty celery again for my daily celery and lemon juice. I was about to take a break from my morning ritual since I was getting really bitter tasting celery at the store. But I persisted and waited in line for it, and now it’s tasty again. I’m grateful for all the farmers and drivers who nourish us with fresh and tasty products!

Who’s thankful: Terrell Strayhorn

I’m really grateful for technology. Cell phones that keep me connected to my family, kids, colleagues, and students during the pandemic. Laptops and iPads that enable video connections via Zoom, provide “mental breaks” to play games or watch videos, and even apps for journaling and writing. Homepods and headphones that let me listen to music as a backdrop to serious activities like writing or analyzing data, but also music as a distraction to the crisis impacting us all. Today, I’m grateful for technology.

As a final item on this list, I wanted to finish with something silly and funny. But that doesn´t mean it’s less true.

Whenever I buy a new 5-pack of socks, I’m always surprised by how nice it feels to put them on for the first time. The feeling of smoothness that comes with putting on a pair of new socks is something I am truly grateful for.

Don’t you agree?

💡 By the way : If you want to start feeling better and more productive, I’ve condensed the information of 100’s of our articles into a 10-step mental health cheat sheet here. 👇

This Cheat Sheet Will Help You Be Happier and More Productive

Thrive under stress and crush your goals with these 10 unique tips for your mental health.

There you have it. If you still can’t think of things to be thankful for, then I give up! I hope you now have a good understanding of why you should always be able to remember something to be thankful for. And don’t forget, you can be thankful for silly things that seem insignificant (like putting on a pair of fresh socks!).

Did I miss something that you would have liked to see on this list? Do you want to have your favorite thing to be thankful for listed in this article? I’d love to hear all about it in the comments below!

Founder of Tracking Happiness, with over 100 interviews and a focus on practical advice, our content extends beyond happiness tracking. Hailing from the Netherlands, I’m a skateboarding enthusiast, marathon runner, and a dedicated data junkie, tracking my happiness for over a decade.

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Essay on Things I Am Grateful

Students are often asked to write an essay on Things I Am Grateful in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Things I Am Grateful

I am grateful for my family. They love and care for me. They are always there to support me in good and bad times. They teach me important things about life. I am thankful for the happy moments we share together.

Good health is a blessing. I am grateful for being healthy. It allows me to do all sorts of things like playing, studying, and helping others. It also saves me from pain and suffering.

I am grateful for the chance to learn. Education opens doors to a brighter future. It helps me understand the world better. It also equips me with skills for life.

I am thankful for my friends. They make my life fun and exciting. They support me when I am down. They are like a second family.

I am grateful for nature. It gives us food, clean air, and beautiful sights. It makes our world a wonderful place to live in. It also teaches us about life and its cycles.

250 Words Essay on Things I Am Grateful

Family love.

The first thing I am grateful for is my family. They are like a big tree that gives me shade on a sunny day. My parents, siblings, and grandparents always support me. They love me a lot and I love them too. Their love is like a warm blanket on a cold night.

Good Health

Another thing I am thankful for is my good health. It lets me run, play, and have fun. It helps me to learn new things at school. Good health is like a strong boat that keeps me safe in the sea of life.

I am also grateful for my education. It is like a key that opens the door to a bright future. My teachers help me to learn new things every day. They guide me like a lighthouse guides a ship in the dark.

I am thankful for my friends. They make my life fun and exciting. We share our joys and sorrows. They are like stars that light up my world.

The last thing I am grateful for is nature. It gives me fresh air, clean water, and beautiful scenery. It is like a big playground where I can enjoy and learn.

In conclusion, I am grateful for many things. They make my life happy and meaningful. I hope to cherish them and make the most of them.

500 Words Essay on Things I Am Grateful

Introduction.

Gratitude is a strong feeling of being thankful to someone or something for the good things they have given you. It’s like a magic key that opens up a world of positivity and happiness. Today, I want to share some of the things I am grateful for in my life.

First, I am grateful for my family. They are my support system, always there to help me when I need it. My parents, who work hard to provide for me, teach me important life lessons and guide me through tough times. My siblings, even though we sometimes fight, are my best friends. They make me laugh, share my joys and sorrows, and teach me the importance of sharing and caring.

Another thing I am grateful for is my health. Good health is a blessing that allows me to do everything I want. It lets me play, study, and enjoy life to the fullest. I am thankful for the food I eat that keeps me healthy, the clean water I drink, and the fresh air I breathe.

I am also grateful for the opportunity to go to school and learn. Education is a powerful tool that helps me understand the world around me. It gives me the skills to solve problems, make decisions, and become a better person. I am thankful for my teachers who guide me, my classmates who help me learn, and the books that open my mind to new ideas.

I am thankful for the beautiful world around me. The bright sun that gives me warmth, the cool breeze that refreshes me, the green trees that give me shade, and the colorful flowers that make me smile. I am grateful for the birds that sing, the rivers that flow, and the mountains that stand tall. Nature teaches me about the beauty of life and the importance of taking care of our planet.

Lastly, I am grateful for the challenges I face. They might be tough and sometimes make me feel sad, but they help me grow. Challenges teach me to be strong, to never give up, and to believe in myself. They make me realize that I can do anything if I try hard and stay positive.

In conclusion, there are many things I am grateful for. My family, health, education, nature, and the challenges I face. These things make me who I am and fill my life with joy and meaning. I believe that being grateful makes us happier and more positive. So, let’s always remember to be thankful for the good things in our life.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Things
• Essay on Psychology On Depression
• Essay on Psychology As Science

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Common Application Essay Option 4—Gratitude

Tips and Strategies for the 2021-22 Common App

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One major change to the Common Application in the 2021-22 admissions cycle is the addition of a new essay prompt. Option #4 now reads, "Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?"

This new prompt replaces the earlier question about solving a problem : "Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma--anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution." Keep in mind that colleges and universities still want to learn about students interested in solving significant problems, and you still have the "Topic of Your Choice" option if you feel your essay would fit well under the former option #4.

According to Common App , the new prompt serves a couple purposes. First, it replaces a prompt that wasn't very popular among college applicants. More importantly, it gives applicants the opportunity to write about something positive at a difficult time in world history. Rather than write about significant problems, challenges, and anxieties, the new prompt #4 invites you to share something heartfelt and uplifting.

The Importance of Gratitude and Kindness

During the college application process, it's easy and tempting to focus entirely on your personal accomplishments: good grades, challenging AP courses, leadership experiences, athletic ability, musical talent, and so on. Even community service can sometimes come across as focused on your self—hours spent to bolster your application credentials.

Gratitude, however, is a largely selfless feeling. It's about your appreciation for someone else. It's recognizing that your growth and success wouldn't be possible without others. When you express gratitude, you aren't saying "look at me!" Rather, you are appreciating those who have helped you become you.

The folks at Common App have expressed that the new prompt allows students to write about something positive. This is true, but the prompt serves a bigger purpose in the admissions selection process. Highly selective schools end up rejecting thousands of well-qualified applicants, and those decisions will often come down to questions of character rather than GPA and SAT scores.

Think of it this way: when a college is choosing between two students who are academically strong and impressive on the extracurricular front, they will choose the student who seems to be the most kind and generous. Admissions officers are building a campus community with their admissions decisions, and they want to create a community filled with students who appreciate others, build each other up, and recognize the contributions of peers, staff, and professors. They want to admit students who will be kind roommates, collaborative lab partners, and supportive team members.

Chris Peterson, an assistant director of admissions at MIT, wrote a blog post in which he identified three essential qualities for getting into one of the world's most selective schools: do well in school, pursue your passion, and be nice. He notes that this last quality "cannot be overstated." MIT is not a Common Application member, but the point applies perfectly to the value of prompt #4. A winning essay doesn't say "me, me, me!" It shows that you are not only an accomplished person, but also someone who knows how to say "thank you."

Breaking Down the Essay Prompt

Before crafting your essay on prompt #4, it's essential to understand everything that the prompt is asking you to do as well as what it is not asking. The prompt is just 28 words long:

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

The prompt has several important elements to consider.

"Reflect"

The very first word in the prompt is one of the most significant. "Reflect" means much more than "write about" or "describe." When you reflect on something, you look inward and reveal self-awareness. You employ critical thinking skills to explain why something is important. Reflection is an act of self-discovery as you examine what you have learned and why it was meaningful.

Here's a quick example:

Unreflective writing: Coach Strauss always taught the team the value of hard work. We practiced hours every day regardless of the weather. The coach's strategy paid off when we won the state championship. The effort we put in wasn't always enjoyable, but the team's success showed that the path to success requires sacrifices.

Reflective writing: I used to resent those miserable and seemingly endless soccer practices in the rain or even snow. Looking back, I now recognize the value of what Coach Strauss was teaching the team. To succeed, we need to work through small obstacles. We need to persevere even when motivation is hard to find. We need to recognize that we always have room for improvement, and we need to support each other as we work towards that goal. I can now see that her lessons were about much more than soccer, and thanks to her I am not just a better athlete, but a better student, peer, sister, and community member.

The first example describes the writer's soccer experience. Nothing in the passage looks inward to analyze the importance of Coach Strauss to the writer's personal awareness and development. The second passage succeeds on this front—it expresses gratitude for Coach Strauss and the way that her lessons helped the writer grow.

"Something" and "Someone"

A nice feature of the Common Application is that all of the essay prompts are designed to give you a lot of latitude in how you respond. The words "something" and "someone" in the new prompt #4 are deliberately vague. You can write about anyone and anything. Possible choices for the person you focus on include

• A teacher who helped you realize your potential or see the world in a new way.
• A coach who taught you valuable skills.
• A family member whose support, love, or guidance helped you become the person you are today.
• A peer who was always there for you in challenging times.
• A student you mentored or tutored who ended up teaching you something valuable in the process.
• A member of your church or community who had a meaningful and positive impact on your life.

The wording of the prompt implies that the "someone" is a living person, so you'll want to avoid writing about an author, God, a pet, or a historical figure (but feel free to use prompt #7 for these topics).

As you think about the "something" that the person did for you, make sure it is meaningful. It needs to be something that has changed you in a positive way.

"Surprising"

When the prompt states that you should write about something that has made you "happy or thankful in a surprising way," don't get too hung up on that word "surprising." This doesn't mean that you need to be shocked or overwhelmed by whatever it is that a person did for you. Don't think of the term "surprising" as something that made you speechless and caused an adrenalin rush. It does not need to be something earth-shattering or even unusual. Rather, the "surprise" can simply be something that expanded your world view, made you think about something you hadn't considered before, or caused you to appreciate something new. Some of the best essays focus on something small or subtle that changed you in a meaningful way.

"Gratitude"

The essay's focus on "gratitude" and thankfulness means that you absolutely must show appreciation for someone other than yourself. One main purpose of this essay, in fact, is to show that you recognize the contributions that others have made to your personal journey. Be generous. Be kind. Show that you value the people who have made you into the person you are.

"Affected" and "Motivated"

Here's the tricky part. Essay #4 is all about recognizing someone else and showing gratitude for the way in which that person has enriched your life. That said, every college application essay needs to be about you. The admissions folks aren't really interested in learning about someone else. They are interested in learning about the student they are considering for admission.

This means you have a careful balancing act to perform with essay option #4. You need to write about the person who contributed to your life in a meaningful and surprising way, but you also need to be introspective and present why that person was so important to you. What did you learn from the person? How did you grow? How did that person change your world view, strengthen your convictions, help you overcome an obstacle, or give you a new sense of direction?

When you answer questions like these, you are writing about yourself. The true goal of this essay is to show that you are a grateful, kind, thoughtful, introspective, and generous person. The focus isn't so much on the person you are writing about, but your ability to cherish that person.

Avoid These Mistakes

You can write about anyone who was important to you, and your gratitude can be for something large or small as long as it affected you in a meaningful way. There are, however, several mistakes you want to avoid when responding to the prompt:

Don't display ego . Prompt #4 is about acknowledging the important contributions others have made to your life, so a boastful or egotistical tone will be entirely out of place. If at its heart your essay says "Coach Strauss helped make me into the award-winning national champion I am today," you've missed the mark.

Do more than describe . Make sure you "reflect" and explore how the person "affected" and "motivated" you. A winning essay needs to be thoughtful and introspective. If you spend the entire essay describing the person who has made you grateful, the admissions folks won't get to know you better and your essay won't have done its job.

Don't be clever with the "someone." Write about a real living human being who has enriched your life in a direct way. Don't write about yourself, God, Abe Lincoln, or Harry Potter. You also don't want to write about a sports idol or musician—while they may have influenced you, they didn't actually do something specifically "for you."

Attend to the Writing

Never forget that your Common Application serves not just to help the admissions folks get to know you, but also to show that you are a capable writer. No matter what your major is, a significant part of your college GPA is going to stem from writing. Successful college students can write clear, engaging, error-free prose. You'll want to pay careful attention to your essay's style , tone, and mechanics. At a highly selective university with more qualified applicants than can be admitted, the difference between an acceptance and rejection can come down to some glaring grammatical errors in the essay.

If you aren't confident in your writing ability, seek help. Have multiple people read your essay. Get feedback from parents and peers, Even more valuable will probably be feedback from your high school counselor and English teacher, for they have more experience with personal essays.

A Final Note for Common Application Option #4

This essay prompt can be approached is so many different ways, but at its heart, the essay needs to accomplish one thing: it needs to show that you are the type of person the college wants to join their campus community. Make sure you come across as someone who is kind, generous, and thoughtful. Show that you care about good writing by crafting an engaging essay that is free of any significant errors. Finally, don't be afraid to let your personality shine. Don't hold back (within reason) if you are a quirky or humorous person. The essay needs to sound like you.

• The 2021-22 Common Application Essay Prompts
• Tips for Writing an Essay on an Event That Led to Personal Growth
• 2020-21 Common Application Essay Option 4—Solving a Problem
• Common Application Essay Option 6: Losing Track of Time
• Common Application Essay Option 3 Tips: Challenging a Belief
• Common Application Essay on a Meaningful Place
• Common Application Essay Option 2 Tips: Learning from Failure
• "Grandpa's Rubik's Cube"—Sample Common Application Essay, Option #4
• Common Application Essay, Option 1: Share Your Story
• Topic of Your Choice: Common Application Essay Tips
• Tips for an Admissions Essay on an Influential Person
• How to Ace Your University of Wisconsin Personal Statements
• Ideal College Application Essay Length
• 5 Tips for a College Admissions Essay on an Important Issue
• Tips for the Pre-2013 Personal Essay Options on the Common Application
• A Sample Essay for Common Application Option #7: Topic of Your Choice

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What are you grateful for 105 things to be thankful for in life.

Here's a list of 40 things to be grateful for today.

There are so many things around us and in our lives that we overlook, so many blessings that we forget to acknowledge. Gratitude is everywhere. We are all so blessed in little and big ways. All we are required to do is focus.

To find things to be grateful for in every moment, I recommend trying out a technique that I call ' Atomic Gratitude '.

In this technique, we pick up one small aspect of our lives, and it can be anything, for example; your bedroom, your partner, nature, your pet, your job, yourself, your friend, your kitchen, anything.

And, now you focus on this part of your life and see the little atomic parts of it that you can be thankful for.

Let's take the example of a bedroom that I also mention in my Attitude of Gratitude course and find the things that we can be grateful for in it.

Now, there might not be anything extraordinary in your bedroom that you see and sleep in every night. But, imagine if it wasn’t there, and think of each individual atom that makes it home for you.

Let's make a gratitude list with the things we can be thankful for in a bedroom:

• Think of the walls that give you a space just for you.
• Think of the windows that let soothing wind and sunlight in.
• The curtains create soft light in the room, ensure privacy, and gently sway with the air.
• The floor that you stand upon and how reliable it is.
• The closet lets you keep your clothes and make more space in your room.
• The lightbulb illuminates in the dark.
• The buttons make it so easy to control the environment of the room.
• The bed is always available for you to rest on.
• The comfortable mattress supports your sleep and physical health.
• The cool and relaxing feeling of clean bedsheets.
• The support of pillows.
• The bedside table that keeps all the things you want near.
• The door that connects you to the rest of your house and also allows you to choose when you want to be with yourself only.
• The sense of assurance that the lock on that door gives you.
• The photographs on the walls relive golden memories.

There is such an incredible possibility in your bedroom alone. We just listed 15 things we can be grateful for in your bedroom alone and there's a lot more in it.

Imagine, if we searched for all the tiniest things and moments to feel grateful for, we'd never run out of ideas.

Before asking for more, let's appreciate all that we have, and let's focus on the tiny bits that make up and support the life we live.

What are you grateful for?

Alright then, let's dive into more ideas for things that you can be grateful for in your life here:

Things to Be Grateful For

Here are some of the things you can be thankful for:

"I am thankful for..."

• Your morning coffee/tea
• A healthy breakfast
• That movie that always makes you laugh
• When your hands are full and someone opens the door for you
• Your good health
• Your close friends
• Cute animal videos
• Warm sunshine on winter days/cool wind on hot summer days
• The senses that make you experience the world
• Funny people, always a blessing!
• A secret joke between you and your friend
• The moment when your food comes at a restaurant
• When your favorite song comes on the radio right at the perfect time
• Tears to express your deepest emotions
• A friend’s face after you surprised them
• Oxygen for life
• Transportation
• Comfortable clothes
• Your ability to help
• Kind strangers
• A warm, cozy blanket on chilly nights
• A great meal with your loved ones
• Excitement for adventures
• A relaxing bath
• Winning at a game
• Sacrificing for love
• Your favorite school teacher
• Handwritten letters
• A relaxed weekend
• Fresh morning air
• Deep conversations
• Feeling understood
• Stories that fascinate you
• Free learning resources
• Experience of life

😇 Tip : To really level up your gratitude practice, I recommend that you maintain a gratitude journal . It'll really shift your perspective by making small steps every day.

Gratitude list of unique things to be thankful for

• Google search engine
• Food delivery partners
• Sour candies
• Healthy nails
• Hair blowing in the wind
• Handmade jewelry
• Sweet new people
• Comfortable jeans
• Flexible body
• Typing speed
• Spellchecker
• Smooth keyboard
• Shiny tables
• Funny videos
• Soothing voices
• Discovering new songs you like
• Cracking the mystery before anyone else
• Automatic save functionality in software
• Good recommendations
• The excitement of an upcoming wedding
• Shared nostalgia
• The moment you wake up in the morning and know you have more time to sleep
• Compliments
• Hot/cool showers
• New recipes
• A great dinner
• Fresh fruits and veggies
• Clean sheets
• Being around someone you like
• Resolution of conflict
• Moments of happiness
• Having money
• Giving gifts
• Being understood by a friend
• Awareness of being in the present moment
• Realization of how far you've come
• A good workout
• Feeling healthy
• Good health of the people you love

So, what do you say? We have so many things to feel grateful for. Go ahead and write in your gratitude journal! 💖

Here's to gratitude for the little things!

Continue Reading: 40 Ways to Show Your Partner You Love and Appreciate Them

Aarushi Tewari

The writer and affirmations speaker at Gratitude, Aarushi believes that one of the most effective ways of feeling inner peace is by being grateful and having a loving self-relationship.

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What are we grateful for during covid-19, a journey through expressions of gratitude during the pandemic reveals how we're helping each other through it..

In many places around the world, the COVID-19 pandemic means perpetually living under the gun. When we walk out of our doors, we can’t let our guard down. Even grocery shopping can feel fraught with danger. Moreover, many people fear for their jobs and futures. This has also been a period of intense political conflict in the United States and of fires up and down the West Coast. Seeing threats everywhere triggers stress and anxiety.

At the same time, the pandemic has profoundly limited the scope of many lives. It’s cut many of us off from variety. It means our home-cooking, day after day, instead of restaurants or potlucks. It means being alone in our apartments—or seeing the same people every day, in the same house, and not meeting new ones in other places. There might be a lot of good in our homes, but at a certain point, through sheer repetition, we might stop seeing how others enhance our daily lives. Humans already tend to take the good things for granted—a psychological phenomenon called “ hedonic adaptation ”—and the groundhog-day nature of lockdown only exacerbates that tendency.

Threatening or just mundane, pandemic conditions do not make fertile ground for thankfulness. But gratitude is one of the tools we can use in both of these circumstances. When we give thanks for everyday things, we make them visible again. When we’re able to do that, numerous studies suggest , we give our happiness a little boost and train our brains to see the good , even amid so much bad .

Gratitude is a tool that many people are using right now on Thnx4.org , the Greater Good Science Center’s online journal. There, people can sign up for a gratitude challenge that prompts them to document and share “thanks” on a regular basis. They can also record times when they were thanked by someone else, and how that made them feel. We survey participants about their well-being before they start the Challenge, and again after it’s complete, in order to understand the impact of Thnx4.

When we analyzed data from the past six months, a couple of patterns stood out. We found that journaling your gratitude during the pandemic on Thnx4 is beneficial—after a challenge, people tend to be more resilient, more satisfied with life, and less lonely. However, these same effects were greater in the period before the lockdown began.

In other words, people aren’t doing as well as they were before the pandemic—but even at that lower baseline, giving thanks still helps. The data also suggest that the people using Thnx4 have been on an emotional rollercoaster: They were sadder, but felt more affection and less anger than they did before the pandemic. We also saw a significant increase in people hearing gratitude from others, which we take to be a very good sign—it suggests that we’re taking care of each other. In reviewing public gratitudes during the pandemic period, we discovered a vivid progression from shock to acceptance—and a growing appreciation for the good things we get from other beings, including our pets, and from nature and society. A journey through expressions of gratitude during the pandemic reveals how we’re helping each other through it. And so, here, we thought we’d share examples of gratitude during COVID-19, grouped by major categories.

Romantic partners

Family, children, and pets

Friends and neighbors

Cooperation, help, and solidarity from strangers

Technology that enables connection

Jobs and coworkers

Frontline workers

Exercise and fresh air

The opportunity to help others

Thnx4 also allows users to share times when they were thanked by someone.

Time with yourself

About the Authors

Emiliana R. Simon-Thomas

Emiliana R. Simon-Thomas, Ph.D. , is the science director of the Greater Good Science Center, where she directs the GGSC’s research fellowship program and serves as a co-instructor of its Science of Happiness and Science of Happiness at Work online courses.

Jeremy Adam Smith

Uc berkeley.

Jeremy Adam Smith edits the GGSC’s online magazine, Greater Good . He is also the author or coeditor of five books, including The Daddy Shift , Are We Born Racist? , and (most recently) The Gratitude Project: How the Science of Thankfulness Can Rewire Our Brains for Resilience, Optimism, and the Greater Good . Before joining the GGSC, Jeremy was a John S. Knight Journalism Fellow at Stanford University.

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10 Things to Be Thankful For

What you're grateful for may say a lot about who you want to be as a person..

Posted November 19, 2023 | Reviewed by Gary Drevitch

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During Thanksgiving, take some time to reflect on what's most important and express your gratitude to those you love. We're only here for a very short time and being thankful will help you value it.

• Life: According to a study published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science (Karniol, R., Grosz, E. A., & Schorr, I. Y. (2003)), individuals who express gratitude for life experiences tend to have higher overall life satisfaction. This suggests that recognizing life as a gift can contribute to a more positive outlook.
• Laughter : Research published in the journal Emotion (Martin, R. A. (2002)) indicates that laughter has numerous health benefits, including reducing stress and improving cardiovascular function. Sharing laughter daily can contribute to overall emotional well-being and physical health.
• Trust: A study in the Journal of Marriage and Family (Johnson, M. P., & Rhoades, G. K. (2011)) emphasizes the crucial role of trust in romantic relationships . Trust is linked to relationship satisfaction and stability, highlighting its significance in fostering healthy connections.
• Tears: Psychologist Dr. William Frey's research (Frey, W. H., & DeSota-Johnson, D. (1997)) suggests that crying has stress-relieving benefits. Emotional support during vulnerable moments, such as crying on a loved one's shoulder, can enhance emotional well-being.
• Sharing: The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (Reis, H. T., & Gable, S. L. (2003)) highlights the importance of sharing experiences in building strong relationships. Shared positive experiences contribute to relationship satisfaction and strengthen emotional bonds.
• Serenity: According to a study in the Journal of Happiness Studies (Diener, E., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2002)), individuals with a sense of life purpose and direction experience higher levels of life satisfaction. This aligns with the article's point about the tranquility that comes from knowing one's identity and goals .
• Happiness: Positive psychology research (Lyubomirsky, S., King, L., & Diener, E. (2005)) emphasizes that happiness is a subjective experience influenced by various factors, including relationships. Being loved and feeling content contributes significantly to an individual's overall happiness.
• Health: Studies in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine (Uchino, B. N., Cacioppo, J. T., & Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K. (1996)) suggest that social support, including care from a partner, can positively impact physical health. A supportive relationship can aid in coping with illness and enhance overall well-being.
• Faith: Research published in the Journal of Positive Psychology (Pargament, K. I., Murray-Swank, N., & Tarakeshwar, N. (2005)) explores the connection between faith and well-being. Having faith in a higher power can provide individuals with a sense of purpose and resilience during challenging times.
• Friendship : The importance of friendship in relationships is supported by research in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships (Gottman, J. M., & Silver, N. (1999)), which emphasizes the role of friendship as a foundation for lasting romantic connections.

I love Thanksgiving. It's a time when I get to remind myself of the many things I am grateful for, and my readers are a big part of that. Thank you.

Barton Goldsmith, Ph.D., LMFT is a licensed psychotherapist, a columnist, and the author of 7 books, including Emotional Fitness for Couples.

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What I am Grateful For Essay

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What Are You Thankful For?

Middle school kids are funny. When you ask them to write about what they are thankful for, you may be surprised by the response. Some kids talk about fun stuff, things that bring joy their lives, like video games and their favorite books and games; others go super spiritual and write a three part essay on God, Jesus, and the cross. Still, others focus on practical things, food and clothing, for example. Each student reveals more and more personality with each writing project finished. Learning about every one of these kids is the best part of my job and one I am quite thankful for.

Please take a moment to read a few things middle school students at Cookson Hills are thankful for. And be sure to read Annabelle’s essay below! — Ashley Allsbury, Teacher

“How often do we actually take the time to be thankful? As we draw near to Thanksgiving, I want to highlight a few of the many different things to be thankful for. I am very grateful for time, education, and the Bible. I hope you can relate to my personal thanks and think of many more on your own. I think time is a worthy thing to be thankful for. It has various uses and is very helpful. We can keep track of how long we’ve been doing something, when to stop, and we can “spend” our time. Time is a very important system to measure all of those things.

I would also like to recognize education, considering the fact that we learn so much in just a day. I know that almost everything in my future will involve education. Learning can also be very interesting, in my opinion.

Finally, I am thankful for the Bible. The Bible provides the blueprints for how to be a good Christian. There is so much wisdom and knowledge to be found in the Bible. It also gives us reasonable explanations as to how things happened or when events took place. God provides so much for us to be thankful for. I hope that as Thanksgiving falls upon us that our attention would not be focused on the food or the pumpkins, but on what we want to thank God for. Now, I challenge you, what are the things you’re thankful for?” — Annabelle, Class of 2022

‘Foodscaping’ slips vegetables in among the flowers for visual appeal in the garden

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I recently started my seeds – tomatoes, cucuzza squash, climbing zucchini, golden beets, Florida cranberries, nasturtiums, zinnias, edelweiss, various herbs and Roma beans. They barely fit on my kitchen counter, which becomes a transient nursery every spring.

Come planting time, they also won’t all fit in my 4-by-4-foot raised beds, grow bags, Earth boxes or around the arbor I installed last year. But rather than curtail my ambitions, I’ll slip sweet potatoes, onions, extra tomatoes and other edibles into my front-yard flower garden.

The practice of combining fruits, vegetables and herbs with ornamental plants — called “foodscaping” — is worth considering even if you’re not short on space, as it can create visual interest in your beds and borders.

FIRST, SOME GROUND RULES — All plants, whether edible or ornamental, should be grouped according to their sunlight, water and fertilizer requirements. Mixing them up is a recipe for disaster. Don’t do it.

— Even if two plants are sun lovers, consider whether either will grow so large that it shades out the other.

— Follow the spacing recommendations on your seed packs or plant tags. They are meant to accommodate the mature size of plants and thwart fungal and mold diseases that result from overcrowding. This will also protect nearby ornamentals.

— Your edibles should be easily accessible for frequent pest- and disease-monitoring, watering and harvesting. Ensure a clear path to avoid trampling perennials and annuals.

USING VEGETABLES TO ADD COLOR, TEXTURE Vining sweet potatoes are beautiful plants with lush, heart-shaped leaves. They grow quickly to fill bare spots and can be used as an annual groundcover. And their lovely purple flowers are reminiscent of their morning glory relatives. I’ll be planting mine at the front of a border, but they can also be trained to grow up a trellis.

I’ll plant cherry tomatoes near my roses, where they’ll exude the chemical solanine into the soil to protect the shrubs from the fungus that causes black spot, an often-deadly rose disease. The tomatoes will serve as a visual prelude to the rose hips, which won’t come until later in the season. I strategically selected tomato varieties that are resistant to verticillium and fusarium wilt diseases because roses are also susceptible.

I’ve been growing Alliums (ornamental onions) under my roses for years because they look so pretty together. This year, I’ll add some edible onions and chives to the mix. Aesthetically, they’ll fit right in and hide the bottoms of my leggy rose bushes. As a bonus, they’ll team up with the Alliums to repel degenerate pests like aphids with their aromatic scent.

There are so many other possibilities. You could line a pathway with lettuces or use them as border plants. Lollo Rosa is one of several varieties with eye-catching frilly, red leaves; curled endives, or frisees, have lacy foliage with curly tips. Curly parsley works nicely, too.

Rainbow chards have bold red or yellow stems and interestingly wrinkled leaves with colored veins. Mix them in with ferns, pansies and coral bells.

Rhubarb foliage can add drama to a formal garden when surrounded by low-growing mounded boxwood shrubs.

Underplant pink or orange flowers with purple basil varieties. Amethyst, Dark Opal and the new Prospera Red, which is resistant to downy mildew and fusarium wilt, are three of many options.

Amaranth is an unusual plant with airy red flowers, spinach-like leaves and seeds that can be milled into flour or cooked as a stand-in for quinoa. The plants are annual but tend to reseed, so they typically reappear every year.

Carrots’ lacy foliage complements marigolds and provides a feathery contrast to plants with broad-shaped leaves, such as nasturtiums. They also may improve the health of nearby plants by aerating the soil as their long taproots work their way downward.

Highbush blueberries are beautiful shrubs with dramatic red fall foliage. Some varieties can reach 12 feet tall. It’s also an excellent stand-in for Burning Bush winged euonymus, which has been deemed invasive along the entire East Coast and in Illinois. It’s winter-hardy in horticultural zones 3-8.

Thyme will form a thick groundcover that’s hardy in zones 5-9. Sage will do the same in zones 5-8. Alpine strawberry is a perennial groundcover everywhere in the continental U.S.

Rosemary lends a perennial evergreen vibe to gardens in zones 8 and 9, but certainly can be included elsewhere as an annual.

Corn is a member of the grass family, so why not put it to work in place of ornamental grasses? Plant a row in full sun at the back of a border, or use just one to fill a bare spot in the garden.

Instead of purchasing ornamental kales and cabbages for fall decorations, why not plant garden cabbages and kale? Although the ornamentals are technically edible, they don’t taste as good. Crop varieties, however, can be served with your Thanksgiving feast.

And that’s something to be thankful for.

Jessica Damiano writes regular gardening columns for the AP and publishes the award-winning Weekly Dirt Newsletter . You can sign up here for weekly gardening tips and advice.

For more AP gardening stories, go to https://apnews.com/hub/gardening .

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Prosecutors and Defense Lawyers Begin to Seat Jurors for Trump Trial

The prospective jurors questioned on Tuesday mirrored their city: diverse, opinionated and with strong views about the former president.

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By Ben Protess ,  Jonah E. Bromwich ,  Maggie Haberman and Wesley Parnell

The daunting work of selecting a jury for the first criminal trial of a former American president rapidly gained momentum on Tuesday as seven New Yorkers were picked to sit in judgment of Donald J. Trump, accelerating a crucial phase of the case that many had expected to be a slog.

The judge overseeing the case said that if jurors continued to be seated at this pace, opening arguments would most likely begin Monday.

The first seven members of the panel that will decide whether Mr. Trump falsified records to cover up a sex scandal involving a porn star were picked in short order after the lunch break. The lawyers quizzed them on their politics, views about the former president and ability to remain impartial in a case that could offend their sensibilities.

And Mr. Trump’s lawyers examined their digital footprints, bringing several jurors into the courtroom one by one to ask them about past social media posts that seemed as if they could betray a negative opinion of the former president.

The wrangling underscored the importance and challenge of picking a jury in a city where the defendant is deeply unpopular — and not just any defendant, but the presumptive Republican nominee for president. Jury selection is pivotal: The outcome of the case could depend on who ultimately serves on the panel, which will include 12 jurors and most likely six alternates.

The two sides reached agreement on four men and three women whose lives will forever be shaped by the landmark trial, and who in turn may shape American political history. They include a man originally from Ireland who will serve as foreman, an oncology nurse, a grandfather originally from Puerto Rico, a middle-school teacher from Harlem, two lawyers and a software engineer for Disney.

While of different ages and ethnicities, the chosen seven had one thing in common: They vowed to give Mr. Trump a fair shake.

And although prosecutors might have the upper hand in Manhattan, one of the nation’s most Democratic counties, there were glimmers of hope for Mr. Trump. Just one stubborn juror can torpedo a case and hang a jury, an outcome that would be a victory for Mr. Trump.

The Harlem teacher, a young Black woman who hails from a family of police officers, said she appreciated Mr. Trump’s bombastic style and referred to him as “President Trump,” a title of respect and one his own lawyers use in court.

“President Trump speaks his mind, and I’d rather that than someone who’s in office who you don’t know what they’re thinking,” she said.

Other potential jurors presented red flags for the former president. Mr. Trump’s lead lawyer, Todd Blanche, quickly sought the dismissal of several for their online activity. One woman, he noted, had heralded a court decision overturning a travel ban Mr. Trump enacted as president and had at one point written “Get him out, and lock him up.” The juror was excused.

When another potential juror was being interviewed about her old Facebook posts, Mr. Trump began to mutter and gesture, drawing a rebuke from the judge, Juan M. Merchan.

“I won’t tolerate that,” the judge said, raising his voice once the potential juror had left the room. “I will not have any jurors intimidated in this courtroom.”

Leaving court, Mr. Trump criticized Justice Merchan, saying he was “rushing the trial.” But later, he withheld judgment of the jurors themselves, remarking, “We’ll see what happens.”

Mr. Trump, who was charged by the Manhattan district attorney’s office with 34 felony counts and may take the witness stand in his own defense, has denied all wrongdoing. But during the 2016 presidential campaign, prosecutors say, Mr. Trump directed his fixer, Michael D. Cohen, to pay hush money to the porn star, Stormy Daniels . And while serving as president, he had his company falsify records to hide his reimbursement of Mr. Cohen, according to the charges.

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Prosecutors say it was a pattern for Mr. Trump: Faced with stories that could have doomed his campaign, he concealed them to influence the election. If the jury convicts him, he faces up to four years behind bars.

Over much of his life, Mr. Trump has measured the world in terms of whether it is treating him “unfairly.” Such grievance was at the heart of his appeal to voters who propelled his political rise and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election that he lost.

Now, the question of fairness — how people view Mr. Trump’s treatment by prosecutors, and whether they can judge him impartially — is at the heart of the jury selection.

The pool of possible jurors came from an initial group of 96, more than half of whom were dismissed immediately Monday after indicating that they could not fairly reach a decision. Others who returned on Tuesday had changed their minds after taking a night to think about it. “I don’t think I can be as impartial and unbiased as I hoped I could be,” one admitted. Another claimed to have recognized an “unconscious bias” against the former president.

Tuesday’s batch of potential jurors mirrored their city of 8.4 million, the most populous in the nation: They were diverse, opinionated, hard to pigeonhole. There was an Upper East Side investment banker, a high school teacher who likes to sew, a Mexico-born man who listens to podcasts about gay issues, and a bookseller who believes “no one is above the law.”

They were there involuntarily, because jury duty is an inescapable responsibility of citizenship. It can be tedious, exhausting or even exhilarating to judge a fellow American, someone a juror has never met or thought of before a trial convenes.

But everyone knows Donald Trump, the former reality television star turned polarizing president, who is once again running for that office. And in this case, the first of Mr. Trump’s four indictments to move to trial, the possible jurors are carrying a burden of history that appeared to agonize some of them.

Some acknowledged they could not be fair. The investment banker said he was just too busy to give up the next two months of his life.

Others embraced the moment, and even sought to persuade both the defense and prosecution of their bona fides.

A woman from the Upper West Side described herself as “a public servant,” adding that she had “built my entire career on trying to serve the city that I live in.” Jury duty, she proudly declared, was an extension of that, “of what’s required of me as a citizen.” She was excused nonetheless.

Mr. Blanche questioned the bookseller who argued that no one is above the law, trying to elicit his views on the former president. But the bookseller rebuffed him, saying that his opinion “has absolutely no bearing on the case.” He finally acknowledged he was a Democrat — like an overwhelming majority of Manhattan residents — but did not budge further.

He was dismissed after some anti-Trump social media posts came to light.

A white-haired woman became animated when asked whether she would hold it against Mr. Trump if he did not testify.

“That’s your right. You can’t presume that makes him guilty,” she said, waving her hands for emphasis as she uttered the words every defense lawyer wants to hear. “The prosecutor’s the one that has to present those facts and prove them,” she added.

Mr. Blanche replied, “I don’t think I could have said it better myself,” though the woman later disclosed that “politically, we have big disagreements, your client and myself,” and she was excused.

There were moments of levity. One woman, answering a question about whether she knew anyone in the legal field, said, “I dated a lawyer for a while.” She paused. “It ended fine.”

Mr. Trump did not laugh, but he did smirk when a man disclosed he was once an alternate juror in a case involving the former president and the media mogul Merv Griffin, who in the late 1980s were in a dispute about control of a casino company .

This prospective juror, who was eventually dismissed, exemplified the uniquely New York nature of the proceeding: a former photographer for the city jails, he suggested that he had known some of the Central Park Five, teenagers convicted and later exonerated in the rape of a woman in Central Park. Mr. Trump took out a newspaper ad soon after their arrests calling for them to face the death penalty.

While the former president did not visibly react to the mention of that episode, he took pleasure in hearing from a prospective juror who had enjoyed his celebrity turn on reality television. “I was a big fan of ‘The Apprentice’ when I was in middle school,” the man said, drawing a smile from Mr. Trump.

Other potential jurors told stories about how crime had affected their families, including a man whose daughter was the victim of a violent sexual assault. He said he had read “Trump: The Art of the Deal” and two other books by the former president, eliciting an approving nod from the author. The prosecution had him excused.

The man born in Mexico, who was ultimately excused, said he had become a U.S. citizen in the first year of Mr. Trump’s presidency. When asked whether anything about that experience would prejudice his role as a juror, he replied, “Feelings are not facts,” adding, “I’m very grateful to be an American.”

Although Mr. Trump’s trial absorbed much of the courthouse’s energy, plenty of people were summoned to serve on juries in other cases.

Mark DeMuro, a 71-year-old artist, said he was thankful he would not have to sit in judgment of Mr. Trump, whom he called “a loathsome character.”

“I could never serve on that jury; I would never risk the trial,” Mr. DeMuro said, adding, “I pray for the people who get selected.”

Kate Christobek , Michael Gold and Nate Schweber contributed reporting.

Ben Protess is an investigative reporter at The Times, writing about public corruption. He has been covering the various criminal investigations into former President Trump and his allies. More about Ben Protess

Jonah E. Bromwich covers criminal justice in New York, with a focus on the Manhattan district attorney’s office and state criminal courts in Manhattan. More about Jonah E. Bromwich

Maggie Haberman is a senior political correspondent reporting on the 2024 presidential campaign, down ballot races across the country and the investigations into former President Donald J. Trump. More about Maggie Haberman

Our Coverage of the Trump Hush-Money Trial

News and Analysis

The beginning of Donald Trump’s criminal trial in Manhattan  drew intense security, smothering media coverage and loud demonstrations to a dingy courthouse that will be the unlikely center of American politics for six weeks.

Jury selection got off to a slow start as more than half of the first group of 96 potential jurors  raised their hands to say they could not be fair to Trump.

On the first day of the trial, Trump appeared to nod off a few times , his mouth going slack and his head drooping onto his chest.

Melania Trump has long referred to the case as her husband’s problem, not hers. But she has privately called the trial a “disgrace”  that could threaten his campaign.

More on Trump’s Legal Troubles

Key Inquiries: Trump faces several investigations  at both the state and the federal levels, into matters related to his business and political careers.

Case Tracker:  Keep track of the developments in the criminal cases  involving the former president.

What if Trump Is Convicted?: Will any of the proceedings hinder Trump’s presidential campaign? Here is what we know, and what we don’t know .

Trump on Trial Newsletter: Sign up here  to get the latest news and analysis  on the cases in New York, Florida, Georgia and Washington, D.C.