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Gratitude is something new to me,  for a long time, my entire focus was on all that was going wrong, and guess what I got more of the same.   Life was a struggle,  either no time or not enough money coming in each week.  I also took so many things for granted.   

 It wasn’t until I had a very close call one day,  where I almost fell over a rocky ledge,  I started thinking about how grateful I was to be alive and not in a mess at the bottom of a rocky gorge,  

I started the practice of gratitude.  Every night before I go to sleep I say 3 things I am grateful for.  Don’t be like me and wait for something to happen – get in the habit now.  It will change the way you live your life.  

Without gratitude, life is more challenging than it needs to be.  We can get so consumed with all that is going on that we have to make a conscious effort to practice gratitude. 

During the day, if I am feeling flat, pessimistic, or overwhelmed, a little gratitude can help me bounce back and lift my mood. 

 I am now starting my day with what I am grateful for.  Wayne Dwyer in his movie “The Shift”  wakes up every morning saying Thank You, Thank You,  Thank You.  

It is so easy to get out of bed and just start doing things,  take some time and say what you are grateful for or write it in a journal.  

It is a simple practice to get into the habit of practicing gratitude every day and this is a beautiful gift you can give yourself. 

Gratitude is free, enjoyable, effective, and a beautiful way to live your life. 

Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.

Zig Ziglar

Here are 12 practical ways to practice gratitude to help you get into the gratitude mindset. 

12 Practical Ways to Practice Gratitude

Practice gratitude each day with these actions:

  1. Write it down. Make a daily habit of writing down a few things that you can be grateful about. Ideally, you’ll do this early and late in the day. It gets your day off on the right foot and sets you up for a good night of sleep.
  2. Be grateful for the little things. There are plenty of small things you can be grateful for each day. A great cup of coffee, the sound of birds in the morning, or the fact that you have a comfortable bed to sleep in or clean sheets are very easy to be grateful for.  
  1. Go for a gratitude walk. This is a great way to get out of your head. Go for a walk and look for things that you can be grateful for. A beautiful tree, flowers blooming in a garden,  a child playing, a friendly dog, or a nice, cool breeze are all things you could choose to feel gratitude about.
  2. Avoid Comparing.  When you compare one thing to another, you demean it. Be grateful for something exactly as it is. This applies to people and things.
  3. Tell people you’re thankful. Show people that you’re grateful for thanking them. Whether it’s your neighbor for keeping his garden so tidy and neat or the shop assistant when you are shopping.    Be thankful and let them know about it.
  4. Enjoy your animals .   Pets give us plenty of reasons to feel gratitude. Give your pet some extra attention. You’ll both feel great.
  5. Donate your time or money. Give your resources to something that you think is valuable to the world. It could be a charity or other organization. Time and money can have a great impact.
  6. Make a list of things that you like about yourself. Have a little gratitude for yourself, too. What do you like when you take a long, hard look at yourself? You’ll not only be expressing gratitude, but you’ll also be doing wonders for your self-esteem.
  7. Write a positive review for a business you appreciate. Business owners love positive reviews. It makes them feel good and can boost their business. Be supportive and express your gratitude.
  8. Meditate on the things that you’re grateful for. Put your focus and attention on those things you’re most grateful for. You might develop an even greater appreciation for them.
  9. Minimize judging and complaining. Judging and complaining are the opposite of gratitude. People that do this aren’t enjoyable to be around, either. Keep your negative thoughts and opinions to yourself. Avoid judging others and you’ll find that you’re happier and less stressed.

12. Be thankful at mealtimes. Since you eat at least one meal each day, this is a great way to develop a habit of expressing gratitude.

Be grateful for everything you have. This is so important as sometimes it can be hard to see this. I know I struggled with this when money was tight and debt was piling up.  I know now life would have been easier if I had practiced gratitude on a daily basis.  

 That doesn’t mean you have to be satisfied with your current situation or settle for less, but you can still be grateful for what you do have.

Practice gratitude. Your mood and perspective will be lifted. You will lift other people around you up and your opportunities for success will increase. 

By doing all this you will receive even more good things to be grateful for!

Start today with your gratitude practice and I would love to hear from you if this post has helped you or please share different things you do to practice gratitude. 

Until next time 

Julie 

“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” Oprah Winfrey

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