Colonel Oasis

You may have heard that you should start the day with a grateful heart--and it's true.  It doesn't take a lot of effort but it can have an amazing impact on how you feel right out of bed and how you see the rest of the day.  Starting the day this say can be something as simple as opening your curtains and letting the sunshine into the room you're in or having a few sips of your coffee or tea, or taking a short 10-15 minute walk where you do nothing but enjoy what your senses bring you.

How else can you practice gratitude throughout your day?

• Say "Thank You" to others, smile at others, and actually write letters of gratitude.
• Try to keep looking at the positives that happen during the day and don't let the negatives mire you down.  It is important to remember them because how else will you know all the good things?
• Get enough sleep
• Help others (donating your time, or money)
• Keep a journal where you record the gratitude moments you have during the day--events, people, etc. that were important in this quest.
• Ask yourself: "What have I received from ____?", "What have I given to ____?", and "What troubles and difficulty have I caused?"  Reflect on interactions and relationships with your friends, family, and work associates.
• Use visual reminders that can help trigger thoughts of gratitude.  For example, put positive messages on post-it notes and put them around your room where you can see them and hide some so you can "find" them later and be reminded.
• Watch your words. Language matters and if you say with "why me?" and "I hate" and "That's stupid" you will not be practicing gratitude. 
• Start and End the day with gratitude
• Practice and it will become a habit