Each year, when Thanksgiving rolls around, we are reminded to be thankful. We spend a few minutes thinking about our family, our friends, and the things we are thankful for. Perhaps we even share what we are thankful for with our family at Thanksgiving dinner.
And thinking about the good people and things that are in our lives… well, it makes us feel good. Doesn’t it?
So, I’d like to suggest that it might be better for all of us to spend more than a few minutes a year thinking about what we are thankful for.
Let’s Be Thankful All Year
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We all become so inundated with the tasks set before us each day that we forget to think about all of the good that surrounds us.
We also become so preoccupied with the negative things that happen each day, those little problems that really don’t matter in the grand scheme of things, that we forget to notice all of the joy in our lives.
Research has proven that daily exercises in gratitude can drastically increase your happiness levels.
Practicing thankfulness or gratitude doesn’t need to be an elaborate process. It can just be a simple minute or two of your day in which you reflect on the good things in your life that you are thankful for.
This could mean a few minutes in the morning or before bed thinking about, or writing down, something you are thankful for. If you’re pressed for time it could even be thinking about what you are grateful for in the shower.
5 Free Gratitude Resources
There are tons of great resources out there on incorporating gratitude into your life.
Here are my favorites:
I recommend that you begin by reading this post from Happify about The Science behind Gratitude (and How it can Change your Life). This article explains what gratitude is, why it is important and how you can apply these ideas to your life.
Another great resource is The 31 Benefits of Gratitude You Didn’t Know About: How Gratitude Can Change Your Life from Happier Human. This article explains in detail the incredible effect that gratitude can have on your life.
Marelisa from Daring to Live Fully shares some creative ideas on her list of 22 Gratitude Exercises that will Change your Life. You’re sure to find a few that will work for you.
Michael Hyatt shares some eye-opening insights in his post Is Gratitude your Trigger for an Amazing Year? Discover 8 Strategies High Achievers use to Reach their Goals. In this post you will also find the link to his awesome new ebook Achieve what Matters in 2017. I just started reading this ebook and I’m super excited to put these ideas into action as I head into the new year.
Finally, if you’re interesting in learning more about the gratitude you can find comprehensive information and several other resources at Gratefulness.org. This is written by Sonja Lyubomirsk, who is also the author of the book The How of Happiness: A New Approach to Getting the Life You Want. Gratefulness.org is full of great ideas about how you can add the daily practice of gratitude to your life.
I hope these resources help you to stay thankful throughout the year.
Do you have any other suggestions or gratitude resources? Share them in the comments below.
Want more? Here are some of my best posts:
How to Talk to your Friends about Money
The Importance of having Someone in your Corner
How to Get Paid for Shopping Online
You can read more about my story here: A Spender and A Saver Fall in Love
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