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ATD Blog

9 Easy Ways to Make Gratitude a Habit You'll Love to Practice Every Day

Wednesday, December 4, 2019
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When life gets a little overwhelming, it’s easy to get hung up on the things you don’t have: more money, fewer responsibilities, more free time. The list can be endless.

While all of these are goal-worthy dreams, living in the endless cycle of “have nots” can take its toll on your day-to-day life. You can find yourself feeling less happy and fulfilled and instead feel short-tempered, short-changed, and resentful.

The upside to all of this is that you can shift your perspective by practicing a little bit of gratitude every day. It doesn’t take any extra time—you can do it while at the gym, walking the dog, or in the elevator.

To get you started, here is a sampling of gratitude practices you can use to build your own set. This practice will change your perspective and help you become more aware of the countless blessings you have.

1. Upon waking, before your feet even hit the floor, be thankful for the gift of a new day. It holds such promise!

2. If you have a hectic morning routine, remind yourself how blessed you are to be able to meet the demands of yourself and those who depend upon you.

3. Throughout the day, when you see something or someone that elicits positive feelings, remind yourself how lucky you are to have these things and people in your life and write them down (journal).

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4. When you move about, be thankful for how you’re ambulating. Whether it’s on foot or with the aid of technology, be grateful you have the freedom to go where you like.

5. Make eye contact when interacting with people and show you are present in the conversation.

6. When you drink or eat something, remember that each bite of food or sip of clean water is a gift.

7. Be thankful that you are in good health and have family and friends who love and support you.

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8. Show gratitude when someone does a good job or deed; praise them and watch their day become a little brighter too!

9. At bedtime, be thankful you made it through the day so that you could lay down and sleep in a warm, safe environment.

This is only the tip of the iceberg but give it a try.

When you get into the habit of feeling grateful, a new world of possibilities opens because you’ve opened to them! See how gratitude can have a positive impact on your health starting today.

About the Author

Devin C. Hughes is an author, speaker, consultant, executive coach, and an internationally recognized expert in the science of happiness, organizational/culture change and leadership development. He has lectured and worked with a variety of Fortune 100 companies, as well as the Secret Service, the IRS, and an assortment of profit and nonprofit organizations. Devin is the author of 20 books and has lectured in more than 15 countries. He lives in San Diego, California, with his wife, four daughters, and two rescue dogs.

5 Comments
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LOVE this. I wish more people understood the power of gratitude in reshaping our lives.
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Quite inspiring.
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I have never been intentional about gratitude. This has inspired me to go for it. Thank you for this!
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