Today I want to talk about three life changing ways to practice gratitude in your everyday life. Nothing makes me feel better than appreciating the people and gifts I have in my life. Have you ever been stuck in a rut of victimhood? When was the last time you felt down in the dumps? I know I have and I am going to give you some tips on how to crawl your way out … and to appreciate each and every day. 

1. Write down 5 things you are grateful for every day. Get a gratitude journal, or even a notebook would suffice, and write down 5 things you are grateful for everyday. It can be anything; family, indoor plumbing, a warm home, a job, your strong body etc. Once you start going usually you can’t stop and you instantly feel better. There is no more “poor me” because you see all of the incredible gifts around you. 
2. Start a grateful flow. I use this tool all the time. Feeling that feeling of “poor me” again, overwhelmed, anxious, something not going your way? Start a timer for 30 seconds and start listing off every single little thing you are grateful for. It might feel long at first and you might have to dig deep, but it is so eye opening and uplifting. Like I said, I use this all the time. For example, I just used it this morning as I was running up a big hill in my neighborhood on my morning run that literally kills me every time. “Thank you strong body, Thank you proper shoes, Thank you lungs that give me breath, Thank you healthy body” and so on. It not only distracted me from a challenging obstacle but it also made me appreciate my body and the ability it has. Stuck in traffic? Thank you car that gives me the opportunity to go to so many different places. Your kid driving you nuts at bedtime? Thank you for giving me this time with my child. Thank you for the health of my child. Try this!! It will completely change your mindset and help you view the situation in a new way.
3. Have the end in mind. This might sound weird or sad, but if you think of dying what would you look back on and wish you had appreciated more? If this was your last day on earth what would you do to soak it up and love your loved ones and live the shit out of life? I also do this in a little different way with my daughter. Kids grow up so quickly.I try to remind myself this when she is driving me crazy, or, when there are a lot of things to be done, that I only get these moments once. Tomorrow she will be a day older. I want to soak up every second and appreciate the time I have. 

Seriously, start practicing gratitude today. Not because it is Thanksgiving but because you have so much to be grateful for every day. 

 “All in all, science confirms that the life-giving practice of gratitude broadens our lives by enabling healing of the past, providing contentment in the present, and delivering hope for the future.“ Robert Emmons “Gratitude works”