"When you ask the greeting “How are you?” you’re often met with the expected “I’m fine, thanks.” But if we’re being really honest? My guess is that a typical response comes with a side of underlying baggage that we leave out: I’m dreading all the deadlines I have at work. I know I need to work out, but I have no time or energy. I have so much laundry to do. I’m exhausted because my child kept waking up in the middle of the night.
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While you may not think of TikTok as a place you’d go to shift your perspective and get a dose of gratitude, the platform may have a hack to flip the script on our common stressors. Dubbed “What a Privilege…,” the growing trend includes creators posting videos of everything from making their bed (“What a privilege it is to be tired when you have to wake up early in a warm bed”) to washing their dishes (“What a privilege it is to wash dishes because we can eat three meals a day”) to working out (“What a privilege it is to move your body”). Below, experts break down the takeaways from the “What a privilege…” trend so you can try the gratitude practice for yourself and instantly reframe your mindset for the better.
What Is the “What a Privilege…” Trend?
Instead of the usual highlight reels or GRWMs, we’ve become accustomed to, the “What a privilege…” trend is a social media movement of people expressing appreciation for the simple moments (e.g. eating, getting dressed, cleaning), freedom of choice (e.g. what to make for dinner), or even stressors (e.g. having a job, a busy schedule, taking care of our home), we tend to take for granted. “The ‘What a Privilege’ trend invites us to immediately reframe our mindset positively, by realizing how good we really have it in the grand scheme of things,” explained Grace Emmons, a certified transformation coach and founder of Forward with Grace. “This trend initiates a perspective shift from ‘I have to’ to ‘I get to.’ It is an effortlessly powerful way to instantly move from taking something for granted to actually feeling grateful, and it works for even the simplest aspects of our lives.”
This is not about toxic productivity; we will always have stressors, worries, or chores we don’t want to do. And not everything that happens to us in life will have silver linings. But when it comes to those little things like getting stuck in traffic or your dog keeping you up at night, doesn’t it feel better to reframe the mundane moments to remember how even the little stressors throughout our days come with privilege, and we have so much to be grateful for?
What are the Benefits?
It fosters deeper appreciation
Being grateful for a raise, buying your first home, or being in good health is one thing, but finding reasons to be thankful in unlikely places like doing laundry is another. “Gratitude is a special emotion; it’s one of the only positive emotions that is easily accessible from virtually any other emotional state,” Emmons said. “The more we practice gratitude, the more we improve our life satisfaction and self-esteem.” Recent research has found that people who consciously count their blessings tend to have greater emotional and social well-being.
It reframes negative thoughts
Instead of feeling stressed by a long commute, a messy home, or how you look, the “What a privilege” practice recognizes these moments as opportunities and choices you’re fortunate to have. For example, having to travel to and from work means you have a means of transportation to go to a job (while others are in between jobs and struggling to make ends meet). Maybe you wake up bloated from a night of indulging with friends, but instead of being critical of your inflated stomach, you consider how lucky you are to be able to enjoy foods you love in the company of people who care about you. While it’s a small change in thinking, it can translate to a noticeable difference in how you feel and approach life.
It promotes mindfulness
Keeping stock of all the good things you have allows you to gain a clearer point of view on what you value most and how much you have to be thankful for. The “What a privilege” practice gives way to slowing down and holding more space for yourself, cultivating self-awareness and purpose. When you stop wasting time waiting for something bigger and better to happen, you can begin to live in and enjoy the present. Life is happening in the here and now, in the small, everyday moments.
“Gratitude is like a muscle; it has to be flexed to be strengthened.”
How to Try It
Start small
“Gratitude is like a muscle; it has to be flexed to be strengthened,” Emmons said. In other words, you continually practice feeling appreciative for it to be conditioned to your mind. Emmons suggested that the next time you feel yourself dreading a task for work or complaining about something you have to do around the house, pause and take a deep breath. Ask yourself, in what way is this actually a privilege? “It may be helpful to contemplate, ‘Is this something other people would love the opportunity to do? Why?'” Aim to apply this check-in once a day, or maybe even once a week to start. While you don’t have to find a positive in every negative (it’s OK not to find thankfulness in every moment), Emmons pointed out that this practice can turn any chore into an occasion for gratitude.
Tune into the present
“We can become so busy with obligations and full schedules that we may have a hard time tapping into appreciating our current experience,” said Vanessa Kennedy, PhD, a licensed clinical psychologist and the director of psychology at Driftwood Recovery. She suggested trying the 5-4-3-2-1 technique: Find five things in your environment you can see, four things you can hear, three things you can touch, two you can smell, and one you can taste, describing each observation in detail. “This meditative activity can help reduce stress, worries about the future, and negative cognitions, allowing your mind to experience the simple beauty of the present,” Kennedy said. By being in the now, you’ll be more able to acknowledge where you are and what you have, allowing yourself to get the most out of the “What a privilege…” gratitude practice.
According to Kennedy, the “What a privilege…” trend is more than just posting pretty pictures and videos; it’s a way to share your experiences of gratitude and connect with others, deepening relationships and spreading optimism. “When others relate to or build upon your contributions, it can help you and them. The feedback you receive can amplify your experience of joy. Research indicates that helping others in some way, through acts of kindness or sharing joy, can improve your sense of connectedness with others and your self-esteem.” When sharing your wins—whether you post them on TikTok or tell your friends—prioritize authenticity. It’s not about showing off or one-upping; it’s about expressing your appreciation through words or actions that truly reflect your feelings.
Grace Emmons is a certified transformation coach (Columbia University) and founder of Forward with Grace. Her expertise has been trusted by over 150 leading companies, including Unilever, Revolve, LiquidIV, Dermalogica, SoulCycle, and Talkspace.
Dr. Vanessa Kennedy, PhD is a licensed clinical psychologist and the director of psychology at Driftwood Recovery.