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“Whatever our individual troubles and challenges may be, it’s important to pause every now and then to appreciate all that we have, on every level. We need to literally “count our blessings,” give thanks for them, allow ourselves to enjoy them, and relish the experience of prosperity we already have.” ~ Shakti Gawain

This Thanksgiving many people are without jobs or facing other life difficulties. Practicing gratitude is one way that we can increase happiness even by 25% according to University of California Psychology Professor Dr. Robert Emmons and author of the book, Thanks! How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier. In his book, Dr. Emmons outlines strategies for cultivating thankfulness and talks about his research on gratitude’s effects: “We have discovered that a person who experiences gratitude is able to cope more effectively with everyday stress, may show increased resilience in the face of trauma-induced stress, and may recover more quickly from illness and benefit from greater physical health.” He says that gratitude is one of the few things that can change people’s lives in a measurable way.

Although practicing gratitude can help us, when stressful things happen such as a job loss or a serious illness, we can’t help but to think negatively. It’s harder to see the good that exists amidst our troubles. But, in its simplest form, gratitude helps us to shift our mindset from negative to positive and takes us out of ourselves and into the moment. In trying times, it’s even more important to use gratitude as a tool to help us focus on what’s working in our lives instead of on what’s not. Being grateful provides us with a choice to think abundance instead of lack, which attracts even more abundance.

So here are some ways to practice gratitude, which can be especially useful during difficult times:

Make a Top 100 Gratitude List

Are there 20, 30, 50 things you can be grateful for? Try 100! This could be easy for some people, but for other’s a little more difficult. Start to think about things that you might be taking for granted like your warm bed, a hot cup of coffee, the unconditional love of a child or your health. Abundance exists everywhere, it’s just a matter of opening our eyes to life’s simple pleasures and gifts. As Author and Educator William Arthur Ward says, “Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”

Stop Complaining for 21 Days

Complaining feels good, right? But when complaining becomes habitual, this creates negativity that attracts even more negativity. Soon we are immersed in self-pity, victimization, anger, discontent, and unnecessary stress. We can help ourselves overcome negative emotions by developing a “habit of gratitude.”

Pastor Will Bowen, from the Christ Church Unity in Kansas City, wrote the book, A Complaint Free World: How to Stop Complaining and Enjoy the Life You Always Wanted. His book developed from an experiment where he asked his congregation to form a habit of gratitude by not complaining for 21 consecutive days, the amount it takes to form a new habit according to psychologists. He passed out purple bracelets and said to the church members that if they slipped and complained during the 21 day time period, then they had to move the bracelet to the other wrist.

Over 6 million people in more than 80 countries have participated in the Pastor’s Complaint Free Challenge. Many inspiring stories have resulted having to do with people’s health, relationships, career, and life. See if you can stop complaining for 21 days. It may be just what’s needed to start living from a more grateful perspective.

Look for a Hidden Opportunity

How many times have you experienced a positive change from something bad that happened? See if there may be an opportunity somewhere in your misfortune, yet may not be so obvious. For example, a job loss can present all kinds of fears but perhaps it’s time to change course and look for work that is more in line with your talents and passions. The unexpected free time that you now have can be used for some self-introspection and soul searching. Take a good hard look to see how an unfortunate situation can turn into a positive one, or even be the change of a lifetime.

Give Thanks Every Day

Express thanks and appreciation to loved ones and to strangers every day. We can be so engrossed in our daily routines and obligations that we take people for granted and if we stopped to give them thanks, then we might just make their day.

People who might be in need of some thankfulness are teachers,
bus drivers, postal workers, bankers, waiters and waitresses, a friend or family member who always provides encouragement and love, and even a co-worker who is constantly lending a hand. Take a moment to express thanks to the people who are supportive and help make our lives easier.

Consider that Each Day is a Gift

Before the day begins is an excellent time to reflect on all there is to be grateful for. This starts the day with feelings of hope, peace and happiness. We can simply say “thank you” as soon as we wake up and start to rise out of bed. This puts us right first thing in the morning and starts our day on a good note.

A beautiful video from the website gratefulness.org called, “A Good Day” with Brother David Steindl-Rast is a must see to bring home the point that each day we are alive is a gift and as Brother David says, “the only appropriate response to this gift is gratefulness.”