Why Gratitude Isn’t Just for Thanksgiving

Did you know being grateful for the good things in life and expressing appreciation to others is not just nice to do, but it is healthy too? Positive psychology research shows that gratitude helps you feel more positive emotions and better deal with adversity, improves your health and builds stronger relationships with others. Research also shows that the more you make practicing gratitude routine, the more you will benefit.

Thanksgiving is a great time to kick off incorporating a practice of gratitude into your daily life all year long. There are so many ways to express gratitude and all are easy. And consider involving the kids to instill a lifetime habit of gratitude beyond Thanksgiving. Here are some suggestions:

Easy ways to reflect on the good things in life

• Reflect on one thing that went better than expected today while brushing your teeth at night.
• Think of one thing you are grateful for every time you see a red car on your morning commute.
• When you think a negative thought, try to find the positive side in the situation.

Easy ways to express appreciation to others

• Send a, “wishing you a great day!” text to a friend.
• Say, “good morning” to a stranger.
• Write an email to a family member, friend or colleague expressing what you appreciate about him or her.

To make practicing gratitude all year long easy, purchase the Transform Your Mindset One Week at a Time Through Gratitude and Reflection card deck. Choose a new card each week and follow the instructions or use it to spark your own ideas. Complete the suggestions solo or involve family, friends and colleagues. Shuffle the deck and set on your journey to transform your mindset (and health) one week at a time.

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