One of the most potent human emotions is gratitude, yet most of us do not do enough to cultivate it. In actuality, it is simple to break the practice of being thankful for much of anything at all. It may be time to start thinking more about all the positive aspects of your life if you have yet to do so recently.  To do this, practice choosing a thankful mentality over a negative one.

Adopting a morning appreciation routine may significantly improve your view of life and your general attitude.

A thankful mentality will become a habit when you consciously practice it every day. You may then see a significant improvement in your life. Being grateful for what you have empowers you to let go of any baggage you have been holding onto and widen your outlook to embrace the pleasant aspects of life. Here’s how to begin each day with gratitude.

Begin Each Day With a Smile

Every day, upon wakening, put a smile on your face. Do this even before you get out of bed. As soon as you open your eyes, smile. Feel gratitude that you have been blessed with another day of life. Thank your creator for giving you life.

When you are in the bathroom, smile into the mirror at your image. Let the gratitude wash over you as you view your own smile. While you conduct your morning routine, brushing your teeth, and washing your face, think of how lucky you are to be alive and how wonderful it will be to experience another day on this beautiful earth.

Start a Journal

Many people find that journaling allows them to channel positivity into the written word. The advantages to this include being able to read the things that you wrote previously. You can see a pattern of gratitude and feel good about continuing that feeling of gratitude into the new day. Make a practice of writing something in your journal each morning.

One way to do this is to list three things that you are grateful for on that day. These can be simple things. They don’t have to be valuable to anyone but you. Maybe you are grateful for having a soft bed. Perhaps you are thankful that today, the children have a playdate with friends.

Maybe you are thankful that the rain has finally ended and the sun is shining in the stars. Just three things is all it takes to begin each day with gratitude.

Share Your Gratitude

Sharing your gratitude with other people that you encounter in your day spreads happiness and blessings to everyone you encounter. As the morning progresses and you interact with others, verbally share your feelings of gratitude. These can be shorter monologues.

They can be short statements like, “I’m so thankful that you cleaned up the kitchen after dinner last night.” Or, “I’m so thankful that you’re feeling a little bit better today, honey.” Or, “Thank you for letting me sleep in late this morning.” These little words of gratitude let others know that you appreciate them.

By verbalizing your gratitude, you are sharing something that is beneficial to both you and your loved ones.

Be Grateful For the Challenges

Being grateful for good things is only one aspect of gratitude. In fact, there are occasions when focusing on unfavorable or challenging circumstances may help you identify all of the things for which you should be grateful. Many people find it hard to continue to feel gratitude when bad things start to happen.

An example might be that you miss your train to work, which means you’ll be late. Worse, your boss will notice, or you will miss a half hour of pay because of it. How can a person be grateful for something like this; by changing perspective?

Instead of focusing on the negative outcome, focus on anything positive you can find in the situation. This can be hard, but the more you do it, the easier it will become.

Consider the Alternatives

Take a moment to consider how bad things could be for you. Reflect back on your life and think of how differently things could have turned out. Think of places in the world where people are experiencing a much hard life than what you have.

Just spending a minute or two on this reflective work will automatically make you feel grateful for what you have. Remember that no matter how many tribulations you are experiencing, there is always an alternative where things could have been much worse. Recognize that alternative, and you will easily see how blessed you truly are.

Say thank you out loud.

Be in the Moment

Mindfulness is a growing trend that emphasizes paying attention to where you are in the present. Some may call it being Zen. Whatever you want to call it, or however you want to approach it, know that it only takes a minute or two. Whatever you are doing, wherever you are, be mindful and present.

Take in your surroundings; feel yourself standing or sitting or lying down in your body. Listen to the sounds around you. Just be. Take a deep breath and exhale slowly, counting to four.

Feel at one with the universe. Allow yourself to smile, and close your eyes if you’re in a situation where you can do that.

Now, mentally fill your body with light and gratitude. In your head, say thank you to the universe. Then say thank you out loud.

There will always be something to be thankful for, even if you are presently experiencing difficulties in your relationships, money, or health. When you seek the positive in any circumstance, things will inevitably shift in your favor!

We all face enormous challenges in life. Life is about experiencing God’s strength in times of trial, not about having no issues at all. Begin each day with gratitude, and you will find that all of life’s trials are easier to cope with.