Waking up every day with a thankful heart is the best way to live. To appreciate the fact that you are alive and breathing is something to be grateful for in and of itself. Happiness comes from appreciating good aspects of our lives and not dwelling on the bad. The bad will always be there, but focusing on it wont make it any better.

Jianna Sorensen, a wise junior in high school, said that someone always has it worse than you and that we should appreciate what we have.

“Because God put you on this earth for a reason, and even if your present circumstances are not what you want or are hoping for, God has a plan and no matter what it’s always going to get better. “

What is a better time of year than the holidays to start the new journey of being grateful?

Just changing our mindset can change our mood. Which is definitely easier said than done but there are tools to help. By focusing on the positives instead of the negatives is a good way to change your outlook. A way to start the day off right is to make a list of what you are grateful for when you first wake up and what you are excited for for the rest of the day. Or before bed at night write down accomplishments that you had throughout your day. Even accomplishments as small as the fact that you got out of bed in the morning or that you didn't drink pop counts. That way when going to sleep at night, you are not thinking about all of the bad that happened, but appreciating the good.

Just saying thank you to others makes such a difference as well. Showing gratitude for all that your friends and family do for you can impact both you and them positively. It’s thinking outside of yourself and onto others. Noticing the good they do for you and taking the time to show them that you noticed.

The holiday season is the perfect time to show friends and family how much you appreciate them. Buy them a gift or write them a sweet note. Let them know that you acknowledge all that they do for you.

It’s not always other people that you can be grateful for. Maybe it’s the fact that the sun came out, or you have food to eat, or your favorite sports team won. Whatever it is, it’s good to feel thankful for anything, even the little things. Even if your entire day seemed to have gone horribly for whatever reason. There is still something, maybe small, that happened that was good.

Psalms 106:1 is a great bible verse about gratefulness that I am always turning to.