Don’t you just love Thanksgiving? It’s the real beginning of the holiday season and it’s such a great time to get family members together and remember what’s truly important in life.

One of my favorite parts about November and Thanksgiving is the focus on gratitude. I love how teachers are showing their students how important gratitude is and we always make a point in my house to focus on being thankful on Thanksgiving itself.

But here’s the thing, why does gratitude have to stop after Thanksgiving? I think the world would be a much better place if everyone demonstrated just a little more gratitude.

In fact, science even backs up this belief. Studies have shown that demonstrating gratitude regularly results in an overall positive impact on well-being and quality of life. Grateful people report being happier, experiencing less stress, sleeping better and having more energy. Sounds like a positive prescription to me! So here are a few tips and tricks to help you express more gratitude more often on Thanksgiving and through the year.

Make Gratitude A Regular Practice For You An Your Family Members

Many families have a tradition of going around the Thanksgiving table and sharing what they are thankful for. Why stop after Thanksgiving? Make this a weekly or even daily tradition that happens at family meals.

Write Thank You Notes

Not only will writing hand-written thank you notes help remind you to express your thanks, but they are also a great way to build relationships with friends, family and co-workers. Although fewer and fewer people take the time to write these notes, it’s such a small task that makes such a big impact.

Create A Gratitude Journal

Take a few minutes at the end of each day to write down 3-5 things you are grateful for. On particularly challenging days, you might flip through the last month of entries to remind yourself of all of the wonderful things you have to be thankful for.

Limit Complaints/Be Grateful For Challenges

It’s easy to fall into a complaint trap when bad things happen, but instead of focusing on the negative, try seeing the positive impact that challenges are having on you. Are they helping you grow, develop, learn or pushing you to the next level? These are all things to be grateful for.

Tell Your Coworkers, Friends And Family How Much They Mean To You

Taking a few minutes out of your day to tell the people closest to you how grateful you are for everything you do will reinforce your relationships.

Taking a few minutes out of your day to practice these simple gratitude rituals will help you carry the spirit of Thanksgiving through the whole year and put you on the path to less stress and a happier life. Now that’s something to be grateful for!