The day of gratitude is here, so many of us will make a point of being thankful today on Thanksgiving. But I’ve made an effort to implement gratitude in my life every day over the last year. So here are the benefits I’ve enjoyed from practicing daily gratitude:

Gratitude
This year, I got myself a gratitude journal. Every morning, no matter how busy it gets or how tired I am, I take a minute to write down the things I am grateful for. Sometimes I have many big moments to be happy for, and other days it’s just simple stuff that we take for granted like air, health, food and shelter. The secret to abundance is being grateful for things even when you don’t feel the need to be grateful for them. Don’t wait until those things are gone to be grateful.

This past month, I lost a dear friend of mine. It was a major wake-up call for me. I wish I said more to her. I wish she knew how much she influenced me and changed my life. This incident has really made me realize that I must be grateful for everyone in my life, because you never know what will be the last time you see them. I learned this the hard way when I lost my dear friend. 

Gratitude Toward Others
Since my friend’s passing, I’ve been taking extra measures to express my gratitude toward people. I speak out loud when I tell people how much they mean to me. It’s funny because I have noticed that some people get really weird and closed off to me when I am so expressive about how much they mean to me. I know it’s strange that I say things that are so personal out of nowhere, but, hey, I want them to know how much they have impacted my life. It’s important to appreciate your friends and family more often than just on holidays or birthdays. Recently, I dedicated a post to my husband and told him in person how much he means to me. It wasn’t his birthday or our anniversary, but I know he appreciated hearing the things I had to say to him. Seeing his reaction, it meant a lot to me that I had made an impact with my words. That’s what love is about: sharing kindness with one another. Maybe that sounds cheesy, but it’s true. We all want to feel loved and appreciated by other people. 

Grateful Exercises
From taking grateful walks to practicing grateful meditation, it’s important to take time during the day to reflect on life. I’m talking about a simple walk outside during your office break, or taking a five-to-10-minute gratitude meditation before you get out of bed. Even a one-minute gratitude prayer before you eat. All these things can shift you back into alignment, especially during those days where YOU JUST DON’T WANT TO GET OUT OF BED. Trust me, I have those days. Everyone does. I was recently at the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) event where one of my idols, Diane Von Furstenberg, gave a talk about her life and career. I had read her book and was so excited to see her in the flesh. She talked a lot about gratitude and how she has mornings when she wakes up feeling like a loser. Shocking right? How does DVF feel like that when she practically invented modern fashion? But it’s true; a lot of successful people have those days. She also talked about a time when she had breakfast with Vogue editor Anna Wintour and asked her if she ever has a morning when she wakes up feeling like a loser. Anna Wintour said that, yes, even she has morning like that. To hear that story was so insane for me. I idolize these woman, and to me they are perfect. But to hear that they too have those days when they don’t feel their best? Well, that says something. It says we’re all human and we’re all just trying to get by and do our best every day. And that’s something we can all be grateful for. 

Remember that gratitude is a way of life, not something you do just here and there. Studies have shown time and time again that when people are more grateful, they’re happier. have more self-esteem, are more empathetic and and even have stronger immune systems. Science also reveals that grateful people are more likely to be successful. Just look at Oprah, for example. Oprah is one of the most grateful human beings on the planet. I learn so much by listening to her podcasts. That woman has a grateful lifestyle for sure! So what are you grateful for this year? Leave comments below!! I am very grateful for your support of my blog.