I know, I know. Everyone preaches that practicing gratitude is important. Strangers and family members who don’t understand chronic illness seem to throw it at us as if gratitude would cure us. Trust me, I am not here to tell you that it will. I’m here to help you on your journey if gratitude is something you want to practice more, but don’t know how.

Did you know that according to Forbes, gratitude has been proven to improve relationships with others, improve physical and emotional health, increase empathy, reduce negative emotions like envy or regret, reduce aggression, improve sleep and self-esteem, and increase mental strength?

Just one little thing truly can have that large of an impact! No exaggeration, gratitude has transformed my life. One tiny habit has slowly morphed me from a bitter, resentful person into a grateful, joyful, and confident person in just a year. But the question is… How to practice gratitude?

There are many ways to practice gratitude. You can purchase a gratitude journal (see the amazon affiliate page for the one I use) or utilize a variety of strategies.

I want to pass along one of my favorite tools adapted from the book Love Money, Money Loves You by Sarah McCrum:

Each morning, write down one thing that you’re grateful for. Do this every single day and choose a different thing each time. After writing it down, read through each item on your list. With time, you’ll have a huge list of things that you’re grateful for. Eventually, this should help you become a more grateful and joyful person!