50 Ways to Practice Gratitude Every Day

Ways to practice gratitude on your own.

1. Keep a Gratitude Journal

Keeping a gratitude journal is simple. Each day, take a few moments to jot down things you are grateful for, whether big or small. This habit encourages a shift in focus from negative thoughts to positive reflections, fostering an appreciation for the present.

Over time, a gratitude journal becomes a collection of cherished memories and reminders of life's goodness, helping to cultivate a lasting sense of well-being and contentment.

As this practice becomes a part of your daily routine, you may find yourself more resilient in the face of challenges and more attuned to the beauty around you.

Interesting lessons about keeping a gratitude journal:

2. Don’t Compare

It’s easy to compare ourselves to others and want what they have. When you do that, you’re not embracing your unique journey. We’re all on a different life path. Embrace the path you’re on. Embrace your beauty and your uniqueness. As Dr. Seuss once wrote, you were born to stand out. Feel gratitude for who you are and what you have.

3. Appreciate The Simple Things In Life

Determining what you’re grateful for can seem overwhelming if you only focus on big things. What about the simple things in life? That cup of coffee this morning. The bed you woke up in. That beautiful butterfly you saw on your walk. What about your ability to walk? Not everyone has that capability. We overlook the simple things in life and take other things for granted. Don’t!

4. Live In The Now

It’s easy to dwell on the negatives of the past or worry about the future. If you can live in the moment and take in everything as it happens, you’ll discover joys that are often overlooked. There are joys of watching your child play, the smell of coffee at the local coffeehouse, the conversation with your friend across the table (instead of checking Facebook), and the smell of rain. Relish and embrace these moments.

5. Flash A Smile:

A lot of people don’t smile these days, and often you have to be the one that initiates it. Not only does smiling make you feel good, but smiling at someone will make their day, too. Smile more and watch how your day can instantly turn around. While you’re at it, give compliments too. Be sincere – find something about the person you appreciate and tell them.

6. Go Complaint Free For 21 Days

Do you think you could stop complaining for 21 days straight? Complaining feels good because it gets out our negative feelings. However, if it becomes a habit, it can bring us down. Switching from our complaints to all life’s goodness will enhance our lives.

There’s a book called A Complaint Free World by Will Bowen that talks about going complaint free for 21 days. Check it out!

7. Take A Gratitude Walk

Whether it’s right around your neighborhood or a hike in the woods, immerse yourself in good thoughts while you look at the trees, flowers, and snow—all the beauty and abundance of nature.

8. Keep A Gratitude Jar

Keep a jar filled with notes on life’s blessings (small and big) in your home, and whenever you, your spouse, or children feel down, choose a note from the jar for an instant lift.

9. Celebrate Your Wins

Be thankful for your successes. Write down all that you have accomplished this past year, which you may not even realize how many there are, and then savor these successes rather than thinking about what you didn’t accomplish.

10. Recognize Each Day As A Gift

Each new day is a “gift” to us and the only appropriate response for this gift is gratefulness, says Brother David Steindl-Rast, a Catholic Benedictine monk. Every breath is a miracle.

11. Unplug And Play

Technology can consume us – iPads, iPods, TV, e-mail, and more. Take time away from the electronics to embrace and enjoy the beauty of nature, which is great for the soul.

12. Tell Me Something Good

Say thanks before dinner to help express appreciation for the food that nourishes your body and the experience of enjoying a meal with others. You can even go around the table and have everyone say one thing that they’re grateful for.

Bert and John Jacobs, the Founders of Life is Good, started doing this when they were kids. No matter what hardships they faced as a family or what was happening, their mother, Joan, made one request every night at the dinner table: “Tell me something good today.”

What a great way to practice gratitude daily!

13. Practice Mindfulness

Sit down daily and think through five to ten things you are grateful for. The trick is to picture it in your mind and sit with that feeling of gratitude in your body.

Doing this daily will rewire your brain to be naturally more grateful, and you’ll start feeling happier after every session.

14. Do Yoga:

Do you practice yoga? I admit, I’ve only done it a handful of times, although I have taken two yoga classes this year, so I’m pretty proud of myself!

Yoga is great, though. Besides helping you become more flexible, which I need, yoga allows you to learn to appreciate yourself through physical movement and exploration of the body.

You’ll learn to savor your body’s health, intelligence, grace, and beauty. Yoga is the union of mind, body, and soul; you can be thankful daily to participate in such a practice.

15. Take Nothing For Granted

It’s easy to lose sight of all we have, which is OK. We’re human, after all. My trips to Guatemala taught me I can still be grateful and happy even with little. It’s all about deciding to focus on the good. So, it’s essential to stop and think about what and who you might take for granted. This will help you remember the many blessings in life.

16. Look For The Good In The Bad

So many times in life, unpleasant things happen to us, and then, in time, something good comes out of that experience, like a better job or relationship. Try to open up to any opportunity that might be there in difficult situations and use this new insight to find greater hope and strength.

17. You Have Enough

Remember: Nothing is lacking. Our minds tend to lean towards what we lack in life instead of all the abundance around us. We always have the choice to consider what is scarce or abundant in life. What’s key is to recognize this choice and the value this shift in mindset brings.

18. You Are Enough

Many of us negatively talk about ourselves. Challenge your inner critic with thoughts of thankfulness, which will immediately turn your negative thoughts into positive ones.

The other way you can think about this is when you write down your gratitude each morning; make it about you. What’s a quality about yourself that you love? Write that down. And do this every single day.

See: Examples of Negative Self Talk (that will hold you back in life)

19. Create Gratitude Affirmations

Saying affirmations helps us replace negative thoughts with positive ones. We have beliefs about ourselves that, if we changed, we would take more risks, overcome our self-imposed limitations, and enjoy life more. So write down positive affirmations about yourself, really believe them, and be grateful for them.

See: 95 Gratitude Affirmations for some powerful examples of these gratitude mantras

20. Forgive Someone And Be Thankful

We can forgive for a better life by focusing on what we can be thankful for when someone has harmed us. This is tough, especially when the harm is life-altering. However, if we can look for the good that came out of the situation, it can help us to forgive and heal.

See: 7 Steps To Learn To Forgive Someone Who Hurt You

21. Play The Gratitude Alphabet Game

Go through the alphabet and think about one thing you’re grateful for that begins with each letter, beginning with the letter A and continuing all the way through Z. Doing this when you lay down to go to sleep is a great way to end your day with gratitude.

22. Post Positive Notes Or Quotes Around Your House

To help keep the feelings of gratefulness alive and part of your day, write little positive notes and post them around the house so they are in plain sight as a steady reminder of all that is good.

See: Gratitude Quotes to inspire your day.

23. Read Inspirational Books

Read books about gratitude and other inspiration. This will help you understand more the powerful effect of thankfulness on your life. A good one to start with is Thanks! How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier by Robert Emmons, Ph.D., the world’s leading scientific expert on gratitude, and see how the practice of gratitude can increase your happiness by 25%. Bonus tip: Buy a book for someone else and mail it to them.

See: 35 Motivational Books to get you inspired.

24. Set Reminders

Use it to your advantage in an age where we’re with our phones practically 24/7. Set reminders on your phone to pause and think of someone or something you’re grateful for. Take it a step further and think about WHY you are grateful.

25. Refrain From Gossiping

We often gossip or think negatively about other people. We are quick to judge. Refrain from doing this. You don’t know what personal battles they are up against right now. Instead, seek to help others and lift them up.

Ways to practice gratitude with others.

26. Write Someone A Handwritten Thank You Note

The note could be for anything—an expression of love, help, thanks, support, or just for being there for you. A handwritten note is one of the most impactful ways to express gratitude. It’s a lost art, but it will make their day when someone receives your thank you card.

27. Volunteer

Give back to your community. Whether you feed the homeless, build a playground for kids, or volunteer at an animal shelter, find something that will allow you to make a positive impact in the lives of others. This will make you feel great!

28. Say Thank You

There is a lot of power in these two words. When someone does something nice, acknowledge them. Tell them, “Thank you.”

Flash your smile with those words, too. Not only will it make you feel better, but it will make their day, too. Whether it’s the checkout person at the grocery store or a stranger holding the door open for you, always say “thank you.”

29. Do Something Unexpected For Someone

It’s a great feeling to have someone unexpectedly bring home flowers, have dinner ready on the table, or give a hug out of nowhere. Surprise someone for no reason and brighten his or her day.

30. Show Appreciation To Your Parents

Write them a heartfelt letter of appreciation for all of the love and support they’ve given you over the years. We often don’t show our gratitude to our parents often enough. A letter is something they’ll cherish for the rest of their lives.

31. Create An Impact Video

Make a video for someone who has impacted your life and send it to them. Make it heartfelt, and tell the other person how they have impacted you. They will love it.

Tribute makes it easy to create a collaborative video montage that you can give as a gift on any occasion.

32. Practice Random Acts of Kindness

Through your generosity, you can positively affect another person’s life and bring joy to yourself. You can give a care package to the homeless, hand out roses to random strangers, or buy someone in line a cup of coffee.

33. Host A Gratitude Dinner

Invite your friends to a dinner party and show your appreciation to them. It’s a great way to honor your friends and tell them how much they mean to you.

You can even give each person a blank card and encourage them to write a note of appreciation to someone in their life. Another good idea is to keep the dinner stress-free by making it a potluck.

34. Hug Someone

Hug someone to show how grateful you are to have him or her in your life. A simple hug could be just what a person needs to feel loved and appreciated.

35. Give Away Cookies

Bring cookies (or coffee) to firefighters and police officers and thank them for their protection and service.

36. Donate To A Charity

Find a charity you believe in and make a monetary contribution to show your appreciation for their transformative work in your community or nationally. Or roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty.

One of my most life-changing experiences was building schools in Guatemala. I also had a lot of fun helping to build a playground for abused kids when I lived in Denver. Find a charity that has meaning to you and then support them in whatever way feels good to you.

37. Call Your Parents More Often

Let them know you care about them and appreciate them.

38. Call Your Friends More Often

Yes, we’re in an era where it’s easier to send a quick text, email or Facebook message, however a phone call is more meaningful and you can have a deeper conversation (and connection).

39. Leave Encouraging Words For Someone

Next time you are at a restaurant, at the grocery store, in a mall or even in the workplace, leave a positive note or quote to cheer someone up.

40. Give A Genuine Compliment

Give a compliment on a talent, skill, or strength that you admire in someone.

41. Tell Co-Workers How Thankful You Are

Show appreciation to your co-workers or employees for their support with a project or task. You can do this face-to-face or with a lovely card.

42. Raise Happier Kids

I don’t have kids, but children are open books for learning and absorbing things without judgment or reserve.

Teach children to be grateful by helping them send thank-you notes for gifts received, say thank-you more often, give gifts to teachers and others, volunteer, and watch their happiness increase.

See: 21 Best TED Talks to Inspire Kids to give you some great parenting ideas.

43. Spend Time With Loved Ones

If you’re struggling with feeling gratitude at the moment, spend time with your friends and family.

Of course, it will help you grow closer to them and strengthen your relationship, but it will also give you a chance to practice your acts of gratitude toward people you care about.

Start small. If they’re having trouble, find ways to support them. For instance, why don’t you make sure you’re listening intently the next time someone shares a story with you instead of waiting for your own chance to speak? Or start a conversation with a difficult member of the family by complimenting their new shoes or hair cut.

44. Acknowledge Birthdays And Anniversaries

Acknowledge special days of friends, family, and even acquaintances. A phone call, card, e-mail, or text might make their day!

You can share one thing you were grateful for that day with your family and ask them to do the same. This also helps teach the practice of gratitude to children, enriching their lives.

46. Make Gratitude Cards

You can have fun (and quality bonding time) by making gratitude cards with your kids. They can hand them out to classmates, teachers, cafeteria workers, family members, or anyone they want to express gratitude to.

See: 78 Gratitude Cards

47. Brag About Someone

Acknowledge someone. Be their biggest fan and brag about their talents or characteristic traits in front of other people. You’ll make them feel so good.

48. Spread Gratitude

Share the practice of gratitude with others. Is someone you know coping with stress or trauma? Suggest that they ease worries and suffering by redirecting their attention on feelings of gratefulness. Imagine the impact you can make on others by spreading gratitude.

We often only write reviews when we have something negative to say. Share a positive review about where you stayed on a website like Yelp or TripAdvisor to help support a business.

50. Thanks a Thousand

When you go to a coffee shop and buy a cup of coffee, do you thank the barista? Have you ever thought about taking your gratitude deeper and thinking about all the people that contributed to your morning cup of coffee? This is something New York Times bestselling author A.J. Jacobs decided to find out when he went on a quest to thank everyone involved in producing his morning cup of coffee.

Many people deserve a thank you when you think about everything that goes into making your morning cup of coffee. From the lid designer to the coffee bean farmer to the people who pave the roads so your coffee can get to you in the first place, the number of people can seem endless. Next time you buy a cup of coffee, be grateful to everyone who made it possible for you to have it.

Final Thoughts on Ways to Practice Gratitude Every Day

There you have it – 50 ways to practice gratitude every day. Of course, you don’t have to do them all. Pick a few and, start there, and create a daily gratitude habit. You will soon see the positive effects of practicing gratitude on your life.

Discover the transformative power of gratitude with these 50 simple practices, effortlessly woven into your everyday routine. Integrating these activities will foster a positive mindset, enhance your well-being, and bring you greater joy. Transform ordinary moments into extraordinary opportunities for appreciation and reflection.Gratitude | Daily Practice |Mindfulness |Positive Mindset| Gratitude Journal

Scott Colby is an adventure lover who has always created businesses around his passions. Although he has spent over a decade in the fitness industry, helping people create transformations, it was a trip to Guatemala that inspired him to create his latest brand – Say It With Gratitude.