I love Thanksgiving. It’s one of my favorite holidays. Spending time with family and reflecting on God’s blessings brings me joy, laughter, and a feeling of gratitude. Plus, I eat yummy food all day without worrying about the calories going into my body. Free pass… calories don’t count!

But you don’t need to wait until Thanksgiving to be grateful. You can make it a part of your daily life. Here are some ideas to express and feel gratitude.

1. Daily Gratitude Journal: Write down all the blessings you experience throughout the day. Whether it was a meaningful interaction with a loved one, viewing the sunrise on your drive to work or an unexpected gift you received, jot down what happened and how it made you feel.
2. Reflect on Past Challenges: When you look back on difficult situations from your past, you’ll feel more grateful for your current situation. It helps you see how far you’ve come, how much you’ve grown and how strong you’ve become.
3. Prayers of Thankfulness: Praise God for the blessings He gives you. Thank Him for how much He loves you. When you have gratitude for God, you surrender to His power and connect to Him more deeply.
4. Gratitude for Others: Remind yourself of the times your family, friends, co-workers, and church members reached out to help and support you. When you reflect on these memories, it lifts your spirits knowing you are loved and cared for.
5. Walk in Nature: Take a walk outside in nature. Feel the breeze on your face, hear the birds sing, and look at the trees as you walk by. Being aware of nature helps you realize you’re a part of this beautiful universe connecting us all.
6. Commit to Gratitude: Make a statement to be grateful every day. Set a reminder on your phone or write it on a post-it note. Say something like, “I promise to find one thing I am grateful for today.” If you commit to finding one thing you are grateful for every day, it builds up over time creating more awareness of the blessings you receive.
7. Send a Thank You Note: It always nice to receive a thank you. Knowing you helped another soul feels good inside. Thank someone who has helped you with a simple email, a card or tell them in person. It could go a long way in their day.
8. Be Thankful for Today: You are alive! Be grateful for life. When you wake up in the morning, instead groaning because your alarm clock went off, take a deep breath, and put your hand on your heart. Give thanks to God for being alive with the opportunity to experience a fresh, new day.
9. Spend Time with Loved Ones: To feel for more grateful, spend time with your family and friends. Being with people who care about you reminds you of how much love exists in your life. Creating memories gives you something to be grateful for today and in the future.
10. Appreciate Your Gifts & Talents: Take a good look at your God-given talents and abilities. When you realize how special you are and the gifts you have to offer in this world, you will appreciate and love yourself more.

Practicing gratitude is a daily effort. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. By having an attitude of gratitude, you will feel more love and joy with a deep sense of knowing you have everything you need to be happy in life.

Photo by Gabrielle Henderson on Unsplash