Practicing gratitude can be a game-changer! It can have far reaching effects from improving our mental health to boosting our relationships with others. Gratitude not only improves your mood and stress levels, but it can also boost your immune system, enhance sleep, reduce pain, and even rewire brain networks for more resilient emotional health. Furthermore, expressing gratitude fosters deeper connections, improves communication, and helps build a supportive, positive social network. Here are 10 ways to practice gratitude daily.

1) Keep a gratitude journal

Journaling at night is a great way to remind yourself of all the things that you were grateful for that day. Or you could even just keep it to three things, such as a smile from a work colleague, a delicious dinner that your husband or wife cooked, a coffee with a friend, your children completing their homework, getting your workout done in the morning, or completing those tasks that you set yourself. It only needs to take a couple of minutes every day!

2) Get outside in nature

When we consider the vastness of the universe, we realise how many things we have to be grateful for. Going to the beach and looking over the ocean, or climbing a hill and looking over the city, can help us truly appreciate what we have, and how easily it can all be taken away.

3) Share your gratitude with others

Research has demonstrated that expressing gratitude can help to strengthen your relationships. The next time that you are with your partner, children, family or friends, tell them how grateful you are to have them in your life. Like saying ‘I love you’, it’s such an easy thing to do, but it can have such a big impact on the person you are grateful for.

4) Meditate

People often view meditation as calming your mind and observing your thoughts. But it is so much more than this! During your meditation, you can focus on three to five people or things that you are grateful for. Visualise them and speak directly to them, telling them how grateful you are to have them in your life. This may include your pets, your job, your home, your lifestyle or anything else you are grateful for.

5) Speak the words of gratitude

Gratitude can encompass many different words, such as being thankful, feeling blessed, feeling fortunate, feeling abundant, and wanting to give. Use these words when you are talking about the people, places or things that you are grateful for, and watch how your perception of life starts to shift.

6) Act like you are grateful

There are so many actions that we do every day that show that we are grateful for someone or something. Smiling at a passing stranger, saying ‘thank you’ when someone opens the door for you, or asking your colleague if they would like a coffee when you get yours are all ways of showing gratitude. Do more of these things and more good things will show up in your life.

7) Make a vow of gratitude

Research shows that making a commitment to perform a certain behaviour increases the likelihood that the action will be executed. Write down your own gratitude vow and post it somewhere where you will be reminded of it every day. It could be something as simple as “I vow to count my blessings every day” or “I am grateful for all that I have in my life”.

8) Start your day with gratitude

When you get out of bed in the morning, open your curtains and let the sunlight in. This not only helps set your circadian rhythm, but it is also a powerful reminder that you are blessed to be alive. Take a deep breath and focus on all that you have.

9) Eat mindfully

It’s easy to get a quick meal in between clients or at your desk when working. However, it’s through our senses that we gain an appreciation of what it means to be alive. Be conscious of what you are eating and how it is nourishing your body and soul. Enjoy food with your loved ones and be grateful for the precious time that you have together.

10) Put your devices down

It’s so easy to eat whilst scrolling through social media, or read the news whilst catching the bus to work. But we miss out on so much in life. Put your phone down when walking along the road, commuting to work, eating lunch or dinner, and when you’re with your loved ones and children. Be present in the moment!