Gratitude is something my grandfather used to talk about a lot. I found that curious because, as a child, I was unable to see what my grandfather had to be grateful for. He lived a tough life. And yet I remember that he actively practiced gratitude whenever he could. His example of practicing gratitude is something I failed to carry on as a young adult.

I have since learned my lesson, so that’s good. I’ve come to learn that practicing gratitude daily is a very good thing. It turns out I am not alone. I was doing some research on the Scott Moore Yoga website when I ran across his 14-day gratitude challenge.

Taking him up on that challenge might be in my future. But for now, let us dig into why daily gratitude is a good thing and how to practice it.

Why Daily Gratitude Is Good

Gratitude is an attitude of appreciation and thankfulness. It can be expressed to people or simply acknowledged in one’s own heart and mind. The more grateful a person is, the more their gratitude rubs off on other people.

Based on my own experiences, daily gratitude is good because:

1. It Strengthens Relationships

When I express gratitude to friends, family members, and even complete strangers, it creates new bonds. Moreover, the existing bonds between us are reinforced with a new sense of connection. Showing gratitude makes others feel valued and appreciated, leading to deeper relationships.

2. It Enhances Well Being

Expressing gratitude can encourage positive feelings known to directly combat depression and anxiety. Positivity can be a mood booster with long lasting effects. It certainly changes my outlook on life.

3. It Encourages Positive Behavior

The positivity mindset encouraged by gratitude subsequently encourages positive behavior. And when I behave positively, the ripple effect can encourage others to do likewise.

4. It Encourages Mindfulness

Finally, gratitude encourages mindfulness – at least in my case. It helps me to slow down and appreciate the moment rather than continually racing from here to there. And guess what? The more mindful I am, the more I discover new things to be grateful for.

Tips for Practicing Gratitude Daily

If you agree that daily gratitude is good, how do you go about practicing it? People have different ways of doing things, and that’s okay. For example, Scott Moore mentions on his website the idea of keeping a gratitude journal. He recommends thinking of three things every day that you can be thankful for, then writing a short paragraph for each one.

A daily gratitude journal is a good idea. Here are some other tips:

• Express your gratitude to others with verbal ‘thank yous’ and written thank you notes (when appropriate).
• Use your smart phone’s alarm to remind yourself to stop and practice gratitude at designated times throughout the day.
• Engage in daily meditation exercises that help you remember those things you are grateful for. Do so while focusing on the moment.
• Create a gratitude jar into which you can place slips of paper with written words or visual reminders. When you are facing a tough time, reach in and grab a piece of paper. On it should be something that reminds you to be grateful.

There are plenty of more gratitude tips I simply don’t have time or space to cover here. The point is that practicing gratitude is a good thing. A grateful person has a different perspective on life. A grateful person focuses less on the negative and more on the positive. In my humble opinion, it’s a good place to be.