I’m just coming off of a great Thanksgiving and hoping everyone enjoyed their time with friends and family. Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful and grateful for what we have, who we are and those we have in our lives. Gratitude, or enduring thankfulness, is something we can incorporate into our lives year round. Taking time to feel and express gratitude is a tool that can be used to help increase happiness in our lives. Acknowledging the things we are grateful for reminds us to appreciate overlooked aspects of our lives. Here are a few gratitude exercises you can try to help enhance your happiness:
- Write down two or three people who have been kind to you. How do you feel when you review those memories?
- Write down three things that you feel good about and would like to see continue.
- Pick one person who has been helpful to you but who you never thanked. Write a letter of appreciation and read the letter to that person by phone or in person.
- Finally, if you feel more ambitious, start a gratitude journal and write in it daily about the things you are grateful for throughout your day.
