Creating a daily practice of gratitude

Gratitude is a state of mind, and you build it out of small moments. Waking up, eating, showering, talking with someone: each one is a chance to notice what you already have. If you’re always looking at what you lack, it’s hard to see the life that’s in front of you.

When you wake up

The first few minutes of the day tend to set the tone for the rest of it. Before you check your email, even before you brush your teeth, name three things you’re grateful for. If you can, watch the sunrise for a few minutes.

Keep a gratitude journal

A journal from the store or a plain notebook both work. Each day, write down five to ten things you’re grateful for, or everything that made you feel grateful that day. If you get stuck, try a prompt:

• People I’m happy I have in my life
• The most beautiful things I saw this week
• Small things that make me feel alive
• Seven reasons I’m abundant
• Three things that made me laugh today

Repeat affirmations

Your thoughts shape your feelings, and your feelings shape what you do. If you keep telling yourself you don’t have enough money, love or happiness, it gets hard to see what you do have.

Affirmations are one way to interrupt that habit. Say something out loud, like “I’m abundant, my life is full of prosperity, and I see happiness everywhere I go.” Repeat it with intention over days and weeks, and it can start to change what you notice.

Bless your food

Many people pray before they eat. Whatever you believe, a meal is a good moment to stop. Close your eyes for a few seconds and picture everything that brought the food to you: the soil and rain it grew in, and all the people who worked hard to grow it, move it and cook it. You have food today. That’s worth a moment.

Get outside

It’s hard to feel grateful when you’re stressed and overwhelmed, and being outside helps a lot of us come back to the present. Go to a beach, a forest, a lake or your nearest park. Walk barefoot, hug a tree, breathe the fresh air. If you can’t go every day, try once a week, and if you have room, keep a garden or a few plants at home.

Say thank you

It’s simple, and we forget it all the time. Try to notice each time someone does something kind for you, because a lot of it slips past, and be specific about what they did:

“I love how you cooked that meal. It was simply so delicious.”

“You work so hard, and it helps us all in the company.”

“I love how you take care of me, and I’m so happy I have you in my life.”

Saying it with intention can lift your own mood as well as theirs.

Spend time with plants and animals

Think of how happy a dog is to see you, to eat, to meet a new dog friend. Plants don’t ask for much either: water, sunlight and good soil. If you can look after them, a plant or an animal buddy can teach you a lot about being glad to be alive.

Notice scarcity thinking

A lot of us think in terms of what we lack. We decide we don’t have money because we can’t afford one particular thing. We feel unloved because we don’t have a partner. We feel unhappy because we aren’t doing what people on social media are doing.

Catching that habit is your own work. When you notice it, turn your attention to what you do have. You may not be a millionaire, but you have a roof over your head, food on your plate and a place to rest. The more you practice noticing what you have, the easier it gets to see.

The people around you matter too. Gratitude is contagious, and so is complaining. Look for people who help you see what’s good in life.

Meditate

We’re often unhappy because our minds are in the past or the future. Meditation and mindfulness train you to be right here, right now. There are a lot of good things happening at this moment, and you have to be present to see them.

Before bed

Going to bed can be a small ritual too. Think back over the day: something that made you smile, someone who was kind to you, a sunset, your favorite song coming on, a really good cup of coffee. Some people like to end by thanking the universe for being alive.

None of this asks you to pretend. If you’re going through something painful, you don’t have to be thankful for it, and if a low mood is heavy or won’t lift, see a doctor or therapist.

Gratitude comes from small details and from paying attention to what’s around you. The more of those small things you notice, the more grateful you’ll feel.