Let’s talk about Gratefulness. Gratefulness is all about appreciating the good things in our lives. Starting our day by thinking about all the things we have to be grateful for is a thoughtful way to set the tone for the entire day. Practicing gratefulness makes us focus on all the good and pleasant things in our lives and that, in turn, improves our overall happiness.

In other words, spending a few minutes early in the morning thinking about what we are grateful for, can improve our mood and our feeling of being happy for the entire day. That’s something well worth pursuing and it will not take a lot of time.

As you are waking up, or while you’re sitting at your kitchen table sipping your first cup of coffee, think about all the things and people you are thankful and grateful for. Yes you can be grateful for the coffee! Focus your mind on anything positive that happened the day before, or that you anticipate happening today. You can be grateful for the smallest of things. I wake up grateful that I have a snuggly and comfortable bed to sleep in and of course, as I mentioned, I’m always grateful for a strong cup of coffee that helps me wake up and get me ready for my busy day. Think about the people in your life that you are grateful for including your parents, grandparents, spouse or significant other, children, friends, colleagues, a boss that gives you a job. Try to find something good about all important people in your life.

Another option is to just look around you. Look at your sunny kitchen, or the trees and birds that you can see outside your window. No matter what your living situation is right now, I’m sure you can think of things you are grateful for, even if it isn’t your ideal living space.

Make this grateful exercise part of your morning ritual. Focusing on it, and practicing it at roughly the same time each morning and, if possible, in a similar setting, will help you form a habit. And that’s the goal for the long run. You want to be able to practice being grateful effortlessly and without having to think about it. Getting to that point alone will have a huge impact on how happy and content you feel from here on out. Give it a try for a few weeks and take note of how your mental outlook changes by simply adding this little exercise of gratitude in the mornings. Before long, you will do it automatically and won’t want to miss this opportunity to acknowledge all the good things in your life. You might consider starting a gratitude journal, to capture your thoughts. These can be pretty awesome to look back on, especially if a day is a tough.