Grateful Goodies

Thanksgiving is all about gathering with family and being grateful for food, family and togetherness. But did you know the act of being grateful is good for your health? It might sound crazy, but research shows exercising gratitude daily helps people feel more positive and improves their relationships.

How? Gratitude retrains your brain to think of life on the bright side and reminds us of what makes every day special. Practicing gratitude may sound strange, but I’ve put together my top tips to help you get started.

Share At The Dinner Table—The dinner table is a great place to connect with your family. But instead of bad news or current events, have each person share one thing they’re grateful for from that day. You’ll be surprised by what you learn about your family and just how rewarding the conversations can be.

Write Thank You Notes—The power of gratitude is in how much it affects everyone around you. If you make a habit of writing a thank you note a week, you’ll be surprised how fast everyone around you seems happier and may even start to display more gratefulness themselves.

Don’t Forget Strangers—The next time a cashier packs your grocery bags well or the bank teller remembers your name, be sure to go the extra mile and personally thank them. “I appreciated the level of service you provided today; it made my day better,” will go further than a simple, “thanks.”

Start A Gratitude Journal—Building habits is the best way to adopt new ideas into your life and the habit of writing a gratitude journal is one of the best you can have. Each day, take five minutes to identify 1-3 things you were grateful for from that day. Soon you’ll find that it becomes easier and easier to recognize everything in your life that you love.

I hope these ideas have inspired you to start a gratitude journey of your own. And most of all, I hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving.