If you woke up tomorrow and only had what you said you were grateful for today, what would you have? Gratitude is a powerful thing and I believe it should be practiced daily. Are you grateful for your current situation or are you always looking for your happiness in the future? If you are someone who finds yourself complaining more than you are grateful then maybe it is time for a change. I could go on and on about the effects of gratitude but here are five main reasons gratitude is so powerful:

• It keeps us focused on the present rather than seeking happiness in the future. You have to create your own happiness. No one else can do that for you. So many people go out seeking happiness through obtaining a job, a relationship, a certain amount of money, or some future event. Happiness is a choice and we have to choose to be happy everyday. By recognizing what you are grateful for on a daily basis it gives you the ability to be happy in the present moment for what you do have rather than focusing on what you could have in the future. Tomorrow is never guaranteed so it is important to focus on the present and recognize how much we have to be happy about on a daily basis.

• You realize that you need less than you think. It can be easy to look at other people’s lives and think they have it so much better than you do. More often than not, however, we only see the good aspects of other people’s lives especially with social media. We only see glimpses into their lives and the exciting parts that they are willing to share. When you practice gratitude daily you realize that you have way more than you previously thought. It gives you a chance to take a step back and realize what is truly important to you and your life.

• You focus on the aspects of your life that you can control rather than the things you cannot. When you realize what is important and what you are truly grateful for then it is harder for outside circumstances to affect your mood. You understand that it is temporary and that you have so much more to be happy about. You also realize it is outside of your control and it would be better to find the positive in the situation rather than the negative.

• It genuinely makes you happy and excited about life and gives you a sense of calm. When you take the time to write down or think about what you are grateful for it makes you genuinely happy. You start to forget about the negatives and instead focus on the positives. There have even been times where I catch myself smiling while practicing gratitude. It also brings upon a sense of calm that makes you feel more at ease and ready to take on the challenges of the day from a better point of view.

• Gives you the ability to give back or let others know that you are grateful for them. Usually when you think of things you are grateful for friends and family will be on the list. This often gives me a chance to remember to reach out to a family member or friend and let them know how important they are to me and that they aren’t forgotten or taken for granted. You also may be inspired to give back to your community or to others in general because the practice of gratitude makes you want to give back to the community around you.

“Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.” – Brian Tracy

Here are some quick tips to help you start your practice of daily gratitude:

• Pick a time of day to sit down and write down what you are grateful for. I find that doing this in the beginning of the day before work or obligations is good for me. You may find that doing it during a lunch break or in the evening is beneficial as well. The important part is to pick a time of day where you can quietly focus on the things in life that you are grateful for.

• Write it down! Thinking about what we are grateful for is a start but once you start writing it down it becomes so much more powerful. Plus it can be fun to look back later on as a reminder for yourself.

• Share it with others. Not only is this good for accountability at times to remember to practice gratitude but it can be nice to let others know that you appreciate them. You can do this through performing an act for someone, calling him or her, writing a letter, or even sending a text. Sometimes practicing gratitude just makes you feel like giving back and you can go out in the world and perform a random act of kindness for a stranger.

“Happiness cannot be travelled to, owned, earned, worn, or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.” – Denis Waitley

Hopefully this sheds some light on the power that daily gratitude can have and helps you to implement it in your life. If you enjoyed this, pass it on to friends and family!