Gratitude…we hear this word over and again. What does it mean anyway? Dictionary.com defines the word grateful as “warmly or deeply appreciative of kindness or benefits received, thankful.”

Here are 5 ways to practice gratitude

1. Giving Thanks, Before a Meal. In the spirit of the upcoming holidays, give thanks for your meal and all who contributed to growing and preparing it. Pause and notice if your food tastes a little differently and maybe you will eat more mindfully. This is not reserved just for the holidays, practice this at every meal.
2. Write a Letter. Write a letter to someone who has had a positive influence on you. This can be anyone who has helped you in some way, big or small. Be sure to specifically acknowledge what this person did for you and how it affected you.
3. Gratitude Reminder. Place an object or simply a post-it note somewhere in your home which will remind you to feel grateful each time you look at it. (This works well for affirmations, too!)
4. Gratitude Journal. Begin a gratitude journal and take 2 minutes to write in in before going to bed each night. Write 5 things about that day for which you are grateful. Some days you will have some exciting things to write about. Other days it can be a simple as “I am so grateful that I wore socks today because it was cold.” Acknowledge one ungrateful thought and transform it to a grateful one. For example, you might change “I can’t believe I have so much homework,” to “I am grateful that I have an extra day to do it.”
5. Stick-Em’s Game. This activity is great for large or small gatherings. On a post-it note, write a word or phrase that demonstrates gratitude for the person you are writing about. Start with “Thank you for_____”. For example, “Thank you for being so kind to me when my cat died.” Walk around the room and "stick-em'" on the backs of each person you are writing to. When everyone is finished, help each other pull them off and spend some time reflecting on the appreciation you have received and given.
   
   Once gratitude is truly felt, it can be a game changer. Acceptance, contentedness, and overall sense of well-being are the direct result of gratitude. What are you thankful for today?

“It is not happy people who are thankful, it is thankful people who are happy.” -Author unknown