Notice the Good

The old adage “count your blessings” is one bit of advice we should all take to heart. After all, in a world that can sometimes seem mean and negative, it can be easy to overlook the positive. The truth is, good things are all around us if we just slow down and look. Practicing mindfulness—being aware of our thoughts and learning to focus on the good little moments of everyday life—is the key to gratitude. And studies show that tracking your gratitude can help increase energy, improve sleep, lower blood pressure, and help people feel less lonely. Who doesn’t want more of that?

To practice mindfulness, try starting a gratitude journal. If that seems overwhelming, begin by simply jotting down a few things you’re grateful for a few days a week. Keep a list on your phone or on a notepad on your nightstand. After a few weeks, start writing in a journal and look back at your previous notes. Reliving all these positive moments can truly promote happiness. Stuck on things to jot down? Turns out, the littlest things can make a big difference. Maybe it’s your morning cappuccino, the way your puppy greets you in the morning with a kiss, a new warm fuzzy sweater, or a bird chirping outside your door. Whatever it is, savor it and be grateful for it. Even better are communal moments that brought joy …a stranger that holds a door open, a partner who brings you a cup of tea, or a driver who lets you out into traffic. Returning these simple acts of kindness can also generate gratitude for others.

Looking back to happy moments or people in your life can also generate gratitude. Hang photos of family members and friends who make you smile. Find images the stir up good memories—a vacation, a wedding, or the birth of a baby—and hang them in your home to remind you of life’s greatest gifts. Of course, looking back can also recall painful times, like when you or a loved one was very sick or getting divorced. Recalling these difficult passages and recognizing that you have come through the experience and are now in a better place will help gratitude grow. We all must deal with life’s problems, but by practicing gratitude you may be calm in the tough spots that we will all eventually have to face.