Gratitude:

How to Be Grateful in Your

Everyday Life

Copyright © 2015 by Clayton Geoffreys

All rights reserved. Neither this book nor any portion thereof may be reproduced or used in any
manner whatsoever without the express written permission. Published in the United States of
America.
Cover photo by Ginger Palmisano is licensed under CC BY 2.0 / modified from original

Table of Contents
Foreword
Why Is Expressing Gratitude a Key to Happiness?
The Science behind Gratitude
Why Is Gratitude so Powerful?
Why Is It so Hard to Be Grateful?
5 Steps to Being Okay with Vulnerability
1. Keep an Open Mind and Heart

2. Stop Thinking About the Past- Be in the Present

3. View Vulnerability as a Healthy

4. Be in Touch with Good Friends

5. Write Down Thoughts and Feelings

How Vulnerability Relates to Gratitude

25 Ways to Express Your Gratitude
1. Get Creative and Write a Letter

2. Be There for Someone

3. Connect with Your friends

4. Have a Little ‘Me Time’

5. Share the Small Things

 6. Cook Something for Your Family or Partner

7. Compliment Someone’s Work or Skill Set

8. Leave a Note for Someone Who Just Helped You

9. Give Time for Your Hobbies

10. Offer Someone Coffee at work

11. Give Your Best Friend or a Family Member a Hug

12. Offer a Little Help in Disaster-Stricken Areas

13. Call a Friend Who is Going through a Hard Time in Life

14. Go Out on a Nature Trip

15. Smile at Someone

16. Make Someone’s Birthday Extra Special

17. Help out a Neighbor Who Just Moved in

18. Leave a Motivational Book on a Library Table or Desk

19. Send Your Friend a Photograph of Your Travel Adventures

20. Occasionally Spend Time Watching the Sunrise or Sunset

21. Watch a Movie with Family and Friends

22. Invite Someone out on a Weekend

23. Tell Stories

24. Bring Something Home to Eat on a Friday Night

25. Get Started on That Gratitude Journal

How to Start a Gratitude Journal

The 3 Keys to Living a Grateful Life
1. Have a Positive Outlook on Life

2. Engage in a Good Interpersonal Relationship with a Friend

3. Always Reflect on What You Have

Getting Started: A 7-Day Gratitude Challenge

Day # 1: Have a Conversation with Your Favorite Vendor over Lunch
Day # 2: Slip a Friendly Note into Someone’s Bag
 Day # 3: Play Chess with the Elderly
Day # 4: Take Someone to Your Favorite Place
Day # 5: Learn the Lyrics of a New Song that Makes You Happy
Day # 6: Create a Physical Photo Album for Your Family and Friends
Day # 7: Go Stargazing
Conclusion
Final Word/About the Author

Foreword
For a long a time I wondered what I was missing in my life. I wondered why there would be
days in which I would feel so unfulfilled with everything. From these days I went through deep
introspection and slowly realized that it ultimately came down to my mentality as well as my
expressions of gratitude. Learning how to be grateful for what you have and the people in your
life is one of the most important skills I have ever learned. It’s something that is difficult to
initially grasp, but once you begin to understand it, it leads to experience life in a completely
new way. In Gratitude: How to Be Grateful in Your Everyday Life I hope to pass along the
different ways I’ve learned to be grateful, as well as provide you with actionable tips to begin
challenging yourself to being more grateful starting today. Thank you for downloading my
book. Hope you enjoy and if you do, please do not forget to leave a review! Also, check out my
website at claytongeoffreys.com to join my exclusive list where I let you know about my latest
books. To thank you for your purchase, you can go to my site to download a free copy of 33 Life
Lessons: Success Principles, Career Advice & Habits of Successful People. In the book, you’ll
learn from some of the greatest thought leaders of different industries on what it takes to
become successful and how to live a great life.
Cheers,

Why Is Expressing Gratitude a Key to Happiness?

Gratitude stems from 'gratus', which is a Latin word for thankful or pleasing, and today, much of
its meaning has stayed the same, oftentimes extending to other meanings such as appreciation or
gratefulness.
To what extent does one feel gratitude?
Expressing gratitude could happen in many instances; it could be as simple as thanking
someone for a job well done, or maybe showing immense appreciation towards a friend who
was always there even in the most trying times.
It may seem rather unusual that over recent years, psychologists have found people to have their
‘happiness level’ increase by a huge percentage after showing a simple act of gratitude; but why
is this so, one might ask?
Expressing gratitude gives a distinct level of happiness because a person focuses more on how
another individual has done something for him or her, and this form of appreciation gives the
mind a perception of value. Having a sense of value for something or someone can allow one’s
self to reflect on how much he or she has.
If for example, Person A feels like she has finally reached the lowest point in her life, and in
comes Person B, helping her cope with her situation and addressing her needs, eventually
Person A gets through her situation and she may feel that huge weight finally come off of her
shoulders; but, upon showing appreciation and gratefulness (maybe by doing acts of goodwill,
writing a letter or a thank you note), Person A has not only ‘repaid her debts’, but by expressing
a simple act of gratitude, she has allowed herself to see the brighter side of life through the
existence of a friend and how much that friend has changed her life.
Humans are social beings that apparently have more than just the basic needs which other
animals and species require. One can even examine Maslow’s hierarchy of needs which, even in
itself, is just a basic idea of what human needs are. In relation to expressing gratitude as a key to
happiness, it is a human need to be able to connect and belong with someone, and
psychologically, expressing gratitude brings feelings of connection and belongingness.
It is no surprise why some multi-millionaire celebrities get involved with charities, because
even though the people they are extending their help to are in no way related to them, they are
somehow ‘giving back’ what they have earned from their professions. More so, there are even
some individuals who may have gone through and survived a terrible experience for example,
and so they put up charities that have a cause related to their experience.
Material things are still essential to making an individual feel happy, but expressing gratitude
can go a long way. Showing gratitude to another person can also make that person feel better,
and the positive reaction that one can witness is, in a way, contagious to say the least. This
simple act fulfills that need for a connection or belongingness.

The Science behind Gratitude

For the past few decades, an emerging field of study called positive psychology has caught the
attention of many. While it does not aim to replace the traditional study of psychology, it
complements the knowledge that one can learn from psychology through positive self-
awareness and personal development, fulfillment in life’s ‘work and play’, connecting with
other people and feeling a sense of belongingness, and pushing through life’s obstacles while
learning from those hardships.
Apparently, gratitude is no longer a foreign aspect in the study of positive psychology. Much of
the last half century was spent on seeking ways to create happiness and wellness through
various methods of therapy, and who knew, that a simple act of expressing gratitude towards
another individual was all it took to boost one’s happiness level. Of course, that is not all there
is to it when it comes to achieving happiness, but the study of showing gratitude should be seen
as a complementary facet in achieving happiness, and in some cases, even wellness.
Psychologists and researchers have found that the people who practice gratitude tend to be less
affected by life’s stresses and hardships, develop a more positive outlook and buoyant
personality, and even have an increased level of health and fitness.
There are numerous ways to practice gratitude; one of the most common is having a ‘gratitude
journal’, where one can write down what he or she feels thankful about. However, simply
writing down gratitude phrases such as, ‘I feel grateful for my wife,’ is not as effective
compared to when one becomes more specific like, ‘I feel grateful that my wife finished work
early this Friday night, so that she and I could watch a movie with the kids.’
A gratitude journal is not the only tool that one could use in expressing gratitude. One can try
mixing things up a little bit to make the thought and experience more fun, memorable, and
uplifting. This could be done with colorful memo pads or sticky notes and placing them inside
the gratitude journal; the more colorful ones could represent the memories that are ‘too big to
forget’.
How often should you express gratitude?
There are many moments in life to be grateful for, and no matter how simple they may seem
they still deserve a spot on the gratitude journal. When people express appreciation for what
they have, they feel less like they are doing a routine, and their daily lives appear to have more
spontaneity. They also seem to develop a habit of seeing the good in things and accepting life’s
stresses and hardships as mere challenges that are ‘doable’. Appreciation and gratefulness
allows one to reflect and realize how much the good things outweigh the bad. It is important to
remember that one must practice gratitude genuinely and not just for the sake of it, where it
seems more like a chore already. As mentioned, try out simple but fun ways to practice
gratitude.
Numerous experiments have been conducted wherein the participants were asked to think of
one influential person in their life and write a ‘gratitude letter’ to this person. There are a
number of experiments that were of a similar manner and they all had conclusive results – with
the participants showing a higher level of positivity and happiness. Likewise, one could practice
this similar method of expressing gratitude, because sometimes, a small memo pad may not be
enough for those thoughts of gratefulness.
When comparing two people to each other, wherein one does not often practice gratitude while
the other does the complete opposite, it becomes easy to determine who has spent more time
practicing gratitude simply by observing his or her overall personality, outlook in life,
responsiveness to activities and tasks, and even helpfulness towards another person.
It seems rather obvious why gratitude has become a very important facet in the field of positive
psychology, simply because it correlates to its main purpose of achieving interpersonal progress
rather than just concentrating on the ‘self’.
One of the main ways to express gratitude is to ‘count your blessings’-as cliché as it may sound.
A huge majority of adults seem to worry more about the burdens that lay in front of them, rather
than feeling thankful for what they have. There is a good reason why children seem more happy
than adults, and that is because they have the natural ability to cherish what they have or who
they have around them; whether it was a memory of Aunt Sally baking cookies on a rainy
Sunday, or daddy coming home just in time for Christmas Eve, children have their way of
embedding those thoughts and feelings into their hearts and minds. One might already be aware
of how children may appear to be ‘doodling’ on a piece of paper with crayons and colored
pencils, but taking a closer look, children will have drawn their entire family at some point. This
simple act determines that they are happy with their family and even at that stage; they may
already feel a tiny sense of gratitude that they do indeed have a family.
Today, gratitude may be something that most humans take for granted, what with social
networking and the whole lack of an authentic interaction; but with a little bit of effort, one can
get a grasp of what simple happiness and appreciation feels like, rather than just feeling numb in
the heart.
Humans are interconnected with each other, and it is meant to stay that way because humans are
social beings that also have social needs. Fulfilling those social needs can be done in many
ways, but even a small act of gratitude can go a long way. Gratitude is no longer just about
making one person happy; it could be two people, or even more. Science and psychology have
come up with conclusive results that gratitude can prove beneficial to people’s lives, be it
through emotional and mental well-being, interpersonal relationships, and even the betterment
of today’s society.

Why Is Gratitude so Powerful?

The reason why people tend to underestimate the power of gratitude is because over the
decades, a simple ‘thank you’ seems like an effortless and common thing to say, hence, it is
taken for granted. Perhaps it is in this instance where one needs to be more specific about what
he or she feels grateful for, like, ‘Thank you for helping me during our training seminar. You
made things less intimidating and more fun to learn.’
Gratitude, when practiced the right way, can help strengthen one’s approach to life in a positive
manner; even in the most difficult tasks, people tend to see things from a different perspective.
Recent studies have even concluded that people who have been practicing gratitude show an
improvement in their health.
Happiness can affect one’s overall approach to life and the way one’s body functions, because a
mind that is preoccupied with happiness thinks less about the things that are there to worry
about. Additionally, one might even notice how a humorous and lighthearted person can
emanate positivity and signs of good health despite whatever conditions that person may have.
In contrast, when an individual appears to practice ingratitude and unkindness, he or she feels
less receptive to any possibility or thought of luck or goodness in the future. More so, that
individual appears to carry a heavy heart and entertains thoughts of negativity, more often than
not. This kind of approach can be very damaging to one’s life, career, interpersonal
relationships, health, and overall mental and emotional well-being. Sure, it is quite common for
one to come across a corporate bully who emulates this kind of behavior, but will he or she get
anywhere in life? Having a lack of gratitude can coat a person with an aura of indecency and
opportunism. People with that kind of negative persona tend to have lesser friends, corporate
buddies, and a loving family; eventually leading them to sink in a hole of loneliness, fatigue,
and a loss of a sense of purpose.
By now, it is easier to grasp the idea of gratitude as a powerful facet of positive psychology. The
human mind is so complex that it appears to be designed for different purposes, such as learning
languages, memories, having the ability to communicate these languages and memories through
speech; and the instance where humans learn to speak, they require a listener who can also
reciprocate a language or any form of communication. It is also in this instance where humans
long for something beyond communication; an intangible emotion called gratitude. While it is
true that there are other emotions that humans need to feel gratitude has finally gained the
attention of scientists and researchers in the field of positive psychology because it was once
seen as a small and insignificant emotion in social life. Gratitude is still a small part of the
human social need, but it is through this small facet of social life and positive psychology where
humans can achieve a powerful level of happiness.

Why Is It so Hard to Be Grateful?

There is no denying that gratitude can be quite difficult for some people to express. A common
reason for this could be that the individual may have experienced little to no appreciation as a
child. Whatever an individual experiences as a child can influence his or her behavior as an
adult. As such, one may simply find it difficult to emulate and express the feeling of
gratefulness. This is so because what seemed to be a lack of love and care from a child’s
mother, actually contributes to the child’s well-being, thus, impacting his or her approach to
social life or interpersonal relationships.
Another reason why an individual may have difficulty in expressing gratitude is simply caused
by an unusual feeling of vulnerability. In this case, the individual is psychologically forced to
avoid anything that leads to a feeling of vulnerability, and since gratitude requires ‘opening up’
and ‘speaking from the heart’, the individual sees this emotion of gratitude as an unnecessary or
ordinary emotion. Studies have conclusively shown some individuals to regard gratitude as an
emotion of ‘weakness’, when in reality, these individuals appear to be lesser in strength because
of their refusal to give in to emotions such as gratitude.
Others can also have trouble with expressing gratitude if they are preoccupied with thoughts and
feelings which especially involve some form of negativity. In this situation, it is vital that the
individual reassesses his or her situation, address the issues causing this situation, and then
move on to the process of practicing gratitude.
Too much social networking and text messaging is another cause for society’s disconnection
from emotions like gratitude. It is true that humans are easily in touch with each other these
days, but having a conversation where two people are physically present in the same place holds
more value, compared to a generic text message on a phone’s screen or a pixelated video call
interlaced with delay and occasional lags.
In any book, dictionary or encyclopedia, human social interaction will always be defined and
implied as having two or more people who are physically present in the same place. As such,
the lack of this specific kind of interaction can lead an individual to be disconnected and lose a
grasp of emotions, compared to a person who is normally engaged in social interactions.
Perhaps it is for this reason why self-development materials may often emphasize the phrase,
‘Get out, live, and love life,’ because one cannot expect to progress into a happier and
meaningful state without the involvement of a positive interpersonal relationship.
Social interaction between two humans has become so scarce that emotions such as gratitude
are rarely expressed. On the brighter side, scientists and researchers in the field of positive
psychology aim to provide healthier productivity in social interactions and have already begun
disseminating methods in practicing genuine gratitude for the benefit of society. Similarly,
individuals who are aware of the benefits of expressing gratitude are becoming more open to
this aspect of achieving happiness.

5 Steps to Being Okay with Vulnerability

1. Keep an Open Mind and Heart

It may seem like a basic step, but how else can one expect to begin feeling comfortable with
being vulnerable? Opening one’s mind and heart prevents one from being so cynical and
doubtful, and at the same time, this ‘openness’ invites positive thoughts and feelings. More so, it
becomes easier to communicate one’s ‘flow’ of feelings and thoughts.
One must embrace the fact that every human has the need to feel vulnerable every now and
then. Going back to the topic of psychology and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs – self-
actualization, esteem, love and belonging, all require a form of vulnerability.
Think about how a close-minded person acts, and as a matter of fact, try imagining what this
person’s outlook in life is. Is it mostly positive or negative? Studies have shown that people who
are cynical or doubtful tend to have a low perception about themselves as an individual; some
even believe that they do not have any chance of success, good luck, or even just a better life
than what they have at present. For this reason, it is vital to create a bigger emphasis on one’s
openness, although in a moderate manner.

2. Stop Thinking About the Past- Be in the Present

For some people, having experienced something tragic or unpleasant may have caused them to
refuse to be in any state of vulnerability. As a result, this ‘closed state’ makes them think that
they are no longer susceptible to negative emotions, when in reality, they are only allowing
themselves to sink in further into a state of negativity, cynicism, and doubt. Similarly, they are
also denying themselves of any positive progress in life, which can be quite damaging.
One can begin moving on from the past by accepting what has happened and reminding one’s
self that he or she is in the ‘now’. Of course, while this does not happen overnight, keeping a
consistent and persistent approach to personal development will lead to positive results. One
other method is the ‘empty chair technique’ popularized in Gestalt therapy, where one allows
one’s self to vent out his or her thoughts and feelings; through this, the individual becomes more
aware of the situation and may even reach the point where the entire situation is viewed as
nothing but small and inferior. In this instance, one is ready to be in the ‘now’.

3. View Vulnerability as a Healthy

The secret why most public figures appear to have an impenetrable aura of inevitable finesse
and composure is not because they are born as men and women of steel, but rather, because
their emotions are equally balanced and in a stable state.
How does one achieve this state?
One of the ways that an individual can be emotionally balanced and stable is to allow one’s self
to be a little vulnerable. By doing this, one can reflect on his or her emotions and even vent
them out. Humans are known to have a breaking point to which they express their emotions, and
if they do not vent these emotions out, these emotions get bottled up inside them, preventing
any progress in moving forward.
Emotions come to an equal balance when one assesses the situation and how he or she currently
feels, after which, an action plan is formed and a decision is made on how to deal with that
particular situation in the most neutral way possible. This is a better approach than just
repressing emotions or unnecessarily letting them all out at once.

4. Be in Touch with Good Friends

Being in the company of good friends brings happiness and fulfillment of love and
belongingness. These feelings and emotions are associated with openness and ‘giving in’,
although in a positive manner. In this instance, one has already allowed one’s self to be
vulnerable.
How else can one be okay with being vulnerable in the company of friends?
Friends are one of the great sources for advice. When a friend gives advice, the mind is in a
state of openness, and in this openness, the mind is in a positive state of vulnerability as it takes
in information communicated by a friend. Additionally, this kind of vulnerability has already
allowed the individual to learn useful information and when the situation arises, the mind seeks
out a memory of that information.
Oftentimes, when an individual goes through a stressful workload or tough time, he or she hunts
for a way to relieve those burdens, and the way one does that is by hanging out with a good
friend. By hanging out with a friend, one's stress and hardships become relieved through
companionship; but more importantly, communication happens, and through communication,
one’s mind becomes more open.

5. Write Down Thoughts and Feelings

When one is not used to feeling vulnerable, the best way to start is by simply writing down what
he or she feels on paper. This simple act of writing down allows thoughts and feelings to flow
from mind and heart, to pen and paper. Additionally, this seems to be more comfortable due to
the fact that no one else can see what one has written down.
Writing down on a notepad or journal looks easy and simple, and indeed it is. However, this is,
at the same time, a very huge leap because as science and research suggests, keeping a journal is
a great way to keep track of one’s daily life, not just for the sake of it, but for the purpose of
venting out how one feels and what he or she should do about it. The individual who keeps a
journal and fills those pages down in a timely manner is found to be emotionally and mentally
stable. To put the life of a journal to full potential, one can avoid phrases such as, ‘I wish I
should have,’ and replace them with ‘I believe I can.’

How Vulnerability Relates to Gratitude

In this topic of vulnerability, it is important to remember that the notion of vulnerability is
presented in a positive manner, rather than just the typical negative notion that people associate
it with. Gratitude is one of the many emotions unique to humans, but before one can go on and
practice gratitude, he or she must have a grasp of vulnerability.
An individual can not realize the value of gratitude without first knowing how emotions work.
Of course, humans have different ways of reacting to emotions and expressing them, but the
basic concept of emotions is to feel a sense of vulnerability. Vulnerability leads to openness, and
this kind of openness subjects one to the susceptibility of feeling emotions such as gratitude.
One might think that vulnerability exposes one’s entirety as a human being to swords and
daggers; but in reality, it is the exact opposite of that.
Vulnerability engages one’s acceptance of what is and what is there for him or her, eventually
transforming whatever there is into something more positive. In a corporate setting for example,
if a person makes friends with a co-worker, both of them have already established a connection,
and this connection usually leads to openness. At this point, both parties are allowing
themselves to be open and vulnerable. If they feel happy with each other’s company, they may
feel grateful about the companionship that they have, so not only are both friends engaging in
an exchange of a positive relationship with positive emotions, but they also have allowed their
vulnerability to correlate with gratitude.
There are many instances when vulnerability can relate to gratitude, but it will usually involve
at least two people (a connection), an exchange of friendship and openness (vulnerability), and a
sense of appreciation for one another (gratitude).
Vulnerability is not only the key to practicing gratitude, but it also helps in attaining the positive
effects of practicing gratitude. Think of someone who has so much joy and love for others; how
often does he or she feel negative emotions? It is easy for people to say that such person just
‘forces’ feelings of joy and love while repressing the negative feelings or ‘putting them aside’.
This is where the great lesson of vulnerability comes in; by being a person of openness and
acceptance, he or she sees the purpose for why certain things happen, associates this with
‘something good’, and because little to no negative feelings were felt, there is more room
created for positive feelings.
What happens when somebody has more room for positive feelings?
The person who has more room for positive feelings has reached a much higher level of
vulnerability or openness. As such, that person is now ready to practice gratitude. The idea
behind practicing gratitude is to do it with genuine thoughts and feelings, because gratitude, as
simple as it may seem, is a complex emotion that requires appreciation and thankfulness,
something that most of us tend to overlook these days.

25 Ways to Express Your Gratitude

1. Get Creative and Write a Letter

We all have one friend or person who influenced our lives the most, and while you may choose
not to send a letter, you can still write one and keep it for yourself.
These days, people can easily send a text message or e-mail which are usually just composed of
thoughtless messages that appear to be less genuine like ‘thnx’ (thanks), ‘imy’ (I miss you), or
‘ily’ (I love you).
A short letter written on something visually appealing will feel refreshing and is a good way to
begin practicing gratitude.

2. Be There for Someone

Try sticking around for a friend. Even though that friend has not ‘been there’ for you in the past,
someone else has likely done the same thing for you, and since you have most likely expressed
gratitude to that someone, it feels much better ‘paying it forward’ to somebody else too.
Humans have the ability to feel empathy towards others and we are fulfilling our social needs
through empathy. More so, empathy is related to gratitude, so by being there for a friend, we are
already performing two important aspects of social and positive psychology.

3. Connect with Your friends

Never forget that gratitude is also synonymous to appreciation. When you spend time with your
friends, try to make each moment special or memorable. Of course, this does not always have to
be the case, because the simple fact that you are in an exchange of companionship, means you
are showing appreciation and gratefulness with one another.
Connecting with your friends can enliven your heart as you realize how thankful you are to have
the privilege of being in the company of your friends.

4. Have a Little ‘Me Time’

Oftentimes, we find ourselves wanting to spend time alone, especially after working overtime
six days a week. You can utilize this ‘me time’ to reflect on the little things that made you happy
for that week.
We live in a very fast-paced and highly-stressful environment, and because we are so caught up
in the moment, we tend to overlook the little things that might have made us happy. Take your
time to reflect on these little things; perhaps someone who offered you his or her place in a long
line at the cafeteria?

5. Share the Small Things

At some point in your life, you will come across people who barely have anything. You can do a
small act of kindness like sharing a sandwich you brought for lunch or a jacket for that cold
New York weather.
As you talk to this person, you will see a hint of warm joy and gratefulness; you realize just how
much you have, how that person is just as deserving of your privileges, and how both of you
feel the same gratefulness for the same thing you just shared.

6. Cook Something for Your Family or Partner

Work and school can be really draining to one’s energy. If you arrived home early or just have
some spare time, cook something special that your family or partner would love. You may not
be a seasoned chef, but the simple thoughtfulness that you have given for them is very heart-
warming and can relieve one’s stress at work or school.
Study cook books that have your family or partner’s favorite dish and recipe listed; learn it
while they are not around or simply work with a friend who knows how to cook.

7. Compliment Someone’s Work or Skill Set

Achieving a certain skill set and accomplishing work is never easy, especially for new hires, so
if you come across someone in your work place or even at the university, you can acknowledge
their work and skills set, and tell them they are doing a great job at it.
This does not only make people feel better about them, but it also inspires them to seek ways on
improving their craft. Complimenting someone is extremely satisfying, especially in a corporate
setting where people are so fixated on their own projects and work load.

8. Leave a Note for Someone Who Just Helped You

Waiting tables, providing customer service, technician visits, and jobs similar to these do not
really pay much, and additionally, people who work on these jobs are already doing their best to
please customers and clients. After you have received help from them, let them know that you
appreciate the work they have done for you, either through the phone, personally, or just a small
note.
People who receive even the smallest ‘thank you’ immediately experience a boost of happiness
and feel less tired about their job.

9. Give Time for Your Hobbies

At times, work can be a deterrent for play, but allowing yourself to indulge in your hobbies once
in a while can let you forget about the stress and hardships from your workplace or school.
Taking the time to enjoy these hobbies causes the mind to release happy thoughts, resulting to
happy feelings.
If you find yourself lost and unable to find a hobby, try hanging out with some of your friends
and see what they do on weekends. The most common ‘therapeutic’ hobbies are painting,
photography, playing an instrument, active sports, and cooking.

10. Offer Someone Coffee at work

Coffee is one of those great things in life that can make a bad day into a good one, but it
becomes even better if you make the offer to get someone coffee, or make them one through a
coffee maker or brewer. It may seem like a very small thing to do, but it works wonders. The
simple act of giving coffee to someone gives that person a sense of being loved and cared for,
and in this instance, the person feels ready for another day’s work.

11. Give Your Best Friend or a Family Member a Hug

The gesture that one does when hugging somebody is an open arm gesture, and because of this,
we are instantly in a state of openness. Similarly, a hug is a simple way of silently telling
someone, ‘Thank you for your gift of companionship; I appreciate it, and you, among many
other people close to my heart, matter to me.’ The person whom you just hugged will not only
feel appreciated or loved, but also ‘feel’ the words that you have silently said to them.

12. Offer a Little Help in Disaster-Stricken Areas
While it is true that most of us get tied up with work once we are finally able to settle into a
career, there are still ways to offer help in disaster-stricken areas like donating money to
reputable disaster relief organizations, sending in food, water, or even items that can be used for
a temporary shelter or an emergency.
There are also some organizations that accept volunteers for a day, where you can help in
packaging relief goods, organizing schedules, or participating in other fields if you are in a
medical profession.

13. Call a Friend Who is Going through a Hard Time in Life

It is just impossible for us to be physically present when our friend needs us at times. Calling
your friend is the next best thing, and even if you cannot provide the soundest advice, simply
listening to your friend is more than enough. If you know what time your friend goes off from
work, surprise him or her with a call and ask how your friend is doing. Resist the temptation of
leaving a generic text message; instead, you can leave a voice mail.

14. Go Out on a Nature Trip

The sights and sounds that we see are a natural gift given to us on the day of our birth. A hectic
work schedule always gets in the way, and most of what we see these days are computers,
cubicles, buildings, cars, and train stations. Treating yourself to a trip out with Mother Nature
can relax your mind, heart, and body, and you will realize just how much our world has.
Additionally, when a person begins to appreciate nature, he or she will, at some point, make an
effort to protect the planet.

15. Smile at Someone

When you share a smile with someone, that person will most likely smile back, conjuring happy
thoughts and feelings. Smiling is a universal gesture that everyone learns during their first 12
months in this world. It is a gesture that is so contagious that the person next to you cannot help
but smile back. Interestingly, countries which have been surveyed, and showed results of being
happy and smiling all the time, are found to have the most accommodating community, which
in turn, attracts a lot of tourists.

16. Make Someone’s Birthday Extra Special

We all do special things for our friends during their birthdays, but try asking yourself what else
have you not done for them? Are you good at playing guitar? How about singing? Do you have
a secret recipe for cookies or muffins? Which of your hobbies can you use to make your friend’s
birthday extra special? Sure, while the usual cake and party hat combo has become the standard
for over a century, making your friend feel extra special enables him or her to have more
memories to pin on her journal or scrapbook.

17. Help out a Neighbor Who Just Moved in

It is ideal to give space to your neighbors when they need it, and remember, moving in is both
exciting and tiresome. It becomes more difficult when an entire family moves into a village or
subdivision where they have not made any friends yet. You can offer a little help if they need
any or you can try other helpful methods like making your place less foreign to them by
showing them around, telling them important or interesting locations where they can shop and
dine, or just simply introducing yourself.

18. Leave a Motivational Book on a Library Table or Desk

If you have just read a motivational book, learned things from it, or even know a friend who has
read it, you can leave that book on a library table or someone else’s desk. There is a big chance
that the person might read it and learn the same things that you and your friend have. In life,
there are so many lessons to learn and although experience is still the better teacher compared to
a motivational book, you are still doing someone a favor by getting them started.

19. Send Your Friend a Photograph of Your Travel Adventures

When you are far away from a friend, you seek ways to ease your longing for each other. Social
networking and sending text messages have been the solution to that, but how special are your
messages, and do they feel too standardized already? Exchanging letters and photographs
through snail mail is in no doubt a great way to stay connected with your friend. It also
eliminates any staleness with your communication. Who knows, maybe next time, you and your
friend could go together on the same trip?

20. Occasionally Spend Time Watching the Sunrise or Sunset

Recent studies have proven that humans, even if they were born and bred in a city, will long for
quiet places with relaxing scenery. The sole reason behind that is, when we were still
developing as a species, we were born and bred in a hunter-gatherer atmosphere, and one of our
favorite pastimes was watching the sunrise or sunset. More so, there were no buildings or long
hours of working in front of a computer, and thus we are hardwired to efficiently function in a
place where we were once used to.

21. Watch a Movie with Family and Friends

Movies let the mind wander into a different world than ours. We see visually-appealing images
in the form of motion picture and we are told stories that catch our interest. Watching a movie
with our family and friends is a great way to bond, and we all know that bonding makes us
grateful for one another. More so, treating ourselves to a movie is a kind way of telling
ourselves, ‘You worked hard this week, now it is time to go out and enjoy a good movie with
your family and friends.’

22. Invite Someone out on a Weekend

We usually plan our dates and agenda before the weekend, but it would be more exciting if we
stopped planning for a while and allowed spontaneity to happen. Inviting someone, especially
one whom you know is not socially engaged, can make that person feel better. Just try to
observe their behavior from the moment you started going out, until you part ways at the end of
the day; you will eventually see a positive change in that person, and you can enjoy the fact that
they are feeling just as grateful as you are.

23. Tell Stories

When we were still at a young age, we were sometimes left alone because our parents were too
busy. You know what that feels like already, so try making a kid’s life a little better by being
around, entertaining their adventurous imaginations, and telling them a story. Reading a book is
fine, but did you know that Alice in Wonderland just randomly came from the top of someone’s
head when he was asked by a group of children to tell a story? Little things still count to a child.

24. Bring Something Home to Eat on a Friday Night

The entire family can feel tired from their usual week of work and school, so ease all of that
stress and bring something which they like eating on a Friday night. Pizza is one of those foods
that can make a family gather around in an instant. The important thing to remember is that
togetherness and anything that can bring a family together makes for a better environment for
the home. In this, one can reflect how thankful he or she is for having a family to be around
with.

25. Get Started on That Gratitude Journal

All of the methods listed in here are of great help in beginning your voyage to expressing
gratitude. However, one of the most important tools to practicing gratitude is a gratitude journal.
This is where you write personal experiences, thoughts, and feelings relating to gratitude,
whether they center on you as the primary person of that particular experience, or someone else.
A gratitude journal keeps you ‘in check’ of the significant things happening in your life, no
matter how little they are. Use this journal well, and take pleasure in it.

How to Start a Gratitude Journal

A gratitude journal is where one can write down the things which they feel grateful about. It can
be anything from how lush and green the trees are in one’s garden to how one’s boss
complimented him or her on a job well done. Writing down one’s personal experiences,
thoughts, and feelings is more powerful than merely thinking of them. Words register clearly
when written down, and these written entries are clearly accessible compared to unwritten
thoughts and memories that fade away and lose vividness. As such, the individual is encouraged
to create a gratitude journal.
Being aware of the things to be grateful for heightens one’s sense of fulfillment and happiness.
Additionally, practicing gratitude permits one’s life to be more receptive to good things, no
matter how less or great they are.
When one is still in the earlier stages of writing a journal, it is important for the writer to permit
the freedom as to when he or she should write. Otherwise, the setting of rules and goals at this
stage defeats the purpose of fun and creativity in the first place. Only when one has had comfort
and consistency in writing ‘gratitude journal entries’ can he or she introduce a form of goal
setting, such as having a goal of five entries in a day.
To get started in writing a journal, begin with the little things that evoke a sense of thankfulness,
like the early minutes of a sunrise or even the smell of freshly-brewed coffee in the morning.
Beginning with these little things, the brain starts to become more receptive to much bigger
moments. It is essential for an individual not to miss out on the simple goodness that life has to
offer, because it is in this instance where one learns to grasp a feeling of appreciation. A great
way to start is by writing phrases that begin with something like, ‘Upon waking up, I feel,’ or
‘Today, I notice.’ Such phrases are great starting points to becoming more aware of one’s
surroundings and current emotional state.
Another fantastic way is to play a little ‘question and answer’ game. Taking the time to answer
these questions can help one get started on filling up that gratitude journal: when was the last
time someone made you smile? What was it that he or she did for you? Who is this person to
you in your life? How soon do you think you could feel the same way again?
What makes that last question especially great is that it allows the person to anticipate goodness
happening in the near future. This anticipation tells the mind to be more attentive and receptive
to the positive things that lay in front of the person, and there is an even greater chance for his
or her situation to happen again.
Apart from a gratitude journal as a main tool for writing, one can also bring those colorful
memo pads along with them, and if ‘something good’ comes up, this is written down on the
memo pad which, later on, could be pasted onto the pages of the gratitude journal.
Psychologically, the human brain reacts to color and associates it to a certain emotion
depending on the shade or color, so the memo pads are not only for those ‘spur of the moment’
instances, but also for attaching notes on certain colors depending on the kind of emotion felt.
Think of the people that hold a special degree of significance in your life; enumerate at least
three of these people on the gratitude journal. Next, define how each of these three people has
managed to touch your life in such a way that you have considered them to be so significant in
your life. Can you imagine if your life would still be as positive as it is right now without them?
This simple exercise can let you reflect on the goodness of people.
It is important for you to remember that achieving a sense of gratitude is enhanced through the
involvement of people. We may feel grateful for the material things that we own, and while
there is nothing wrong with that, material things are not as irreplaceable as a human being, who
can have the ability to reciprocate positive thoughts and feelings, and just simply give that warm
feeling of care and love, which we all must cherish.
By now, you would have noticed that the contents found within a gratitude journal will have
something to do with appreciation, thankfulness or gratefulness, whether they involve simple
moments or people in your life.
Writing a gratitude journal is a conscious activity, and as humans, we all have different ways of
being aware or being in the now. A little tip as to how you can be more aware of the present is
to think that everything and everyone around you is in some way related to you. Through this
kind of thinking, you allow yourself to be more attentive, because you have already created an
attachment of yourself to your surroundings. When a stranger at a coffee shop appears to be in a
rush for example, you instinctively notice this stranger and feel the need to help him out, so you
order two cups of coffee; one for you, and one for him, and now he does not even need to fall in
line anymore. This simple act of kindness happened all because you saw that stranger as
someone related to you, an attachment of yourself, and you felt the need to reach out and
illuminate him with gratitude.
We all have the innate ability to feel positive emotions and long for them; we just have to be
both consistent and persistent in allowing these positive emotions to flow to us, and outwards to
others. Be attentive to the goodness that life has to offer, appreciate even the smallest of things,
start out with the intangible ones like sunrises, and work your way into positively engaging with
people.

The 3 Keys to Living a Grateful Life

1. Have a Positive Outlook on Life

When we have a positive outlook in life, everything that is negative is seen as something
insignificant or something that can not affect us, thus we carry on with our day and continue to
be more receptive to all good things.
If you need to get to the third floor of a building for example, and the entire space in the
elevator is occupied, just take the stairs and see this as an opportunity to do a healthy activity.
More so, as you ascend these stairs, take the time to plan your day ahead and what you can do to
be more productive.
In a similar situation, see if there is room for one more person and offer this vacancy to the next
person on either of your side. You may have sacrificed a few minutes of your time, but you have
just made someone else’s day better; live in this moment and be grateful.

 2. Engage in a Good Interpersonal Relationship with a Friend

To live a life of gratitude, you must not only communicate the emotion of gratitude inwards and
outwards, but you must also verbally communicate with the people who are surrounding you.
‘Feeling’ requires a sense of connection and we are all interconnected somehow, so take part in
this state of being one with each other.
Gratitude circulates around appreciation, and a good method to experience gratitude to its full
potential is to think of people, friends, and family, rather than fixating on just ourselves; try to
put these people first before you sometimes. Gratitude in the company of someone is not just
beneficial to you or that person, but to our society as a whole, and why is that? We gain
fulfillment being in the presence of others and through a healthy social life, and in this
fulfillment, we are consciously taught of the value that each one of us have, and through value
we get a sense of gratefulness.

3. Always Reflect on What You Have

It is true that there are intervals in our week wherein we just do not have anything to write on
our gratitude journal. Take your time to remember and reflect on the things you have
accomplished, memories acquired, friends made, and life lessons which you have learned; most
of these might have happened the week before, but it is perfectly fine to write them down on
your gratitude journal.
You can begin with phrases like, ‘Today, I remember,’ or ‘I still feel grateful for.’
Of course, it is essential not to force this onto yourself, where it feels more like a task rather
than a privilege.
Reflecting on what you have is also another way that you can be more receptive to life’s
goodness; as you think about these pleasant things, you gain hope that these may come to a
repeat, hence, allowing your mind to be more conscious of similar things happening again.

Getting Started: A 7-Day Gratitude Challenge

Beginning a journey towards gratitude is nothing short of refreshing and life-changing. An
important thing for you to remember is that practicing gratitude should not be necessarily
viewed as an exercise or activity, but an opportunity and privilege for personal growth and
development.
As one might already know, there are many ways to express gratitude, but for starters, mixing
creativity and sincerity is the key to making your first steps memorable, not just for you, but for
other people as well.
Written below is a list for your 7-Day Gratitude Challenge. You can add in your own little twist
to each challenge to make the experience more personal for you, but just be sure to go out and
have fun.
Day # 1: Have a Conversation with Your Favorite Vendor over Lunch
It does not matter whether you like hot dogs or waffles, but if you have never struck a lengthy
conversation with your favorite vendor, then you have got to get started on that now.
The people whom you see selling hot dogs and waffles rarely get into any lengthy conversations
with their busy customers, and since their job relies on how much they earn in a day, they get
stressed out at times. Show them they are loved and needed in the community, by having lunch
with them and getting into a nice conversation. You can even buy them lunch, but that is all up
to you. What is vital is that you establish a connection with this ‘stranger’ and feel grateful for
the friend which you have just found.
Day # 2: Slip a Friendly Note into Someone’s Bag
Think of someone you know who has not been emotionally well lately and write a friendly and
encouraging note for him or her. You can do this anonymously or put your name at the end.
What is important is that the person does not notice you slipping in that note so he or she will
discover this by surprise.
The note that you write does not need to be long; it can even consist of just one or two
sentences. The essential thing here is the thought of you doing something good for that person,
and that the person knows he or she is not alone in facing those hardships in life.
Day # 3: Play Chess with the Elderly
Most of the elderly people are far more satisfied with their life accomplishments compared to
people in their 30’s or 40’s, but there is no denying that some elderly people have lost some of
their loved ones or do not get visited often by their children and grandchildren, hence, they may
feel a little lonely at times.
Spend an hour with them, be genuine with your conversations, and listen to what they have to
say. Elderly people also have a vast amount of knowledge which they can share with you; treat
these as lessons in life. Let them know that you are there for them and that you feel pleased with
your interaction with one another.
Day # 4: Take Someone to Your Favorite Place
All of us will have that one secret place which we like to hang out at when we want to be alone,
whether it is at a mountain top, a quiet park, or a coffee shop that is less populated. Take your
close friend with you or someone you know who is having a tough time.
Doing this lets the other person know more about you or perhaps why you chose that place.
They will also find the same security you feel whenever you go to that place. In this instance,
you can be grateful of two things: the place that is giving you comfort and the presence of a
friend feeling the same thing as you.
Day # 5: Learn the Lyrics of a New Song that Makes You Happy
From the beginning of our existence, we have always found joy in music. The singing and
playing of notes, melodies, and instruments gives humans a different way of expressing
emotions. More so, there are songs that come with positive thoughts.
Try finding a song that just gives you this complete vibe of happiness and positivity, and then
learn the lyrics and melody. When we sing a song that speaks only of goodness, we are
unconsciously telling our brain to think positive and to be more receptive to good things.
Day # 6: Create a Physical Photo Album for Your Family and Friends
It is so easy to create an album or a collection of pictures on Facebook or Instagram that the
number of photos could go up to thousands, but who has the time to really go through all of
these?
Making a real photo album can let your creativity flow and it actually teaches you to reflect on
the special memories you have, compared to uploading photos online where you just perform a
few clicks and you are good to go.
Get creative and share those memories on a real photo album.

Day # 7: Go Stargazing
Our daily routine can get so repetitive and we rarely get the time to see what is beyond our
place. At times, all we could think about are the buildings, busy streets, long lines at the
subway, and our office computers.
Allow yourself to get ‘lost in the stars’ and appreciate what this entire universe has given you,
which is life. It is not just us humans who are interconnected to each other, but every living
creature in this earth; the planets, and stars are a symbol of life. Be grateful that you have this
life right now and cherish it.
When we do activities such as stargazing, our mind tells us to relax, and in that relaxed state, we
enable ourselves to think more clearly. Additionally, you can even take your gratitude journal
when you go stargazing and write down your thoughts and feelings.

Conclusion
Humans have been in existence for thousands of years. We evolved from hunters-gatherers
often residing in the wilderness into professionals who work hours in a day just to be able to
find the means to sustain a ‘living’. There are a few things that have not changed, one of them
being our capability to think and feel, and although our thoughts and feelings are quite complex,
we are now able to use them in a positive manner for personal growth and development.
Psychologists and researchers specializing in the field of positive psychology encourage the
practice of gratitude, and over the recent years, they have proven that gratitude heightens our
sense of appreciation, purpose, and the feeling of happiness.
The fulfillment of our social needs of self-actualization, esteem, love and belonging are a
contributing factor to making us feel ‘complete’, but gratitude has become a very fascinating
and useful facet of positive psychology that it might just be the one thing that can take us one
step further to feeling complete.
What is astounding about gratitude is that it is such a simple emotion that was once overlooked,
but now, it has opened the doors to understanding and achieving personal growth and
development.
Before anything else, we must always make sure that we have a balanced mental and emotional
well-being, and we can do that by assessing our current situation and finding a way to fix it,
piece by piece.
Gratitude can be practiced in simple ways such as a sincere ‘thank you’, or even in greater
amounts like providing relief goods to disaster-stricken areas as a way of ‘giving back’;
whichever way we choose to express gratitude, it is essential that we do it with a genuine heart
and allow ourselves to get creative to make the entire experience memorable.
Another essential thing to remember is that gratitude requires connection. It is fine if you are
living all by yourself, but eventually, you will have to connect with the people outside of your
home. Getting engaged in a great interpersonal relationship not only fulfills a part of your social
need to belong, but it increases the amount of things that you can feel grateful for, like
memorable times spent with your friends, lessons learned, or just the simple fact that you are in
the company of one another.
Humans take interest in things that are still new, and eventually this interest gradually drops to
an all-time low. Each of us have our own approach to practicing gratitude, and the key to
making things feel fresh is to avoid routines that are too standardized.
Allowing yourself to feel vulnerable at times will aid in your journey to a life of gratefulness.
Be sure to keep an open mind and heart and allow this openness to sink in. Being in a state of
openness allows us to be more receptive to the positivity and goodness in our lives. Remember
to feel grateful through the little things in life.

Final Word/About the Author

I was born and raised in Norwalk, Connecticut. Growing up, I could often be found spending
afternoons reading in the local public library about management techniques and leadership
styles, along with overall outlooks towards life. It was from spending those afternoons reading
about how others have led productive lives that I was inspired to start studying patterns of
human behavior and self-improvement. Usually I write works around sports to learn more about
influential athletes in the hopes that from my writing, you the reader can walk away inspired to
put in an equal if not greater amount of hard work and perseverance to pursue your goals.
However, I decided to write this book to share an important skill that I’ve learned through the
years of expressing gratitude in my daily life. If you enjoyed Gratitude: How to Be Grateful in
Your Everyday Life please leave a review! Also, you can read more of my general works on
Avoidant Personality Disorder, Sundown Syndrome, ISTJs, ISFJs, ISFPs, INTJs, INFPs, ESFPs,
ESFJs, ESTJs, ENFPs, ENFJs, How to be Witty, How to be Likeable, How to be Creative,
Bargain Shopping, Productivity Hacks, Morning Meditation, Becoming a Father, and 33 Life
Lessons: Success Principles, Career Advice & Habits of Successful People in the Kindle Store.

 Like what you read? Please leave a review!
I write because I love sharing personal development information on topics like why one should
adopt being grateful in their lives with fantastic readers like you. My readers inspire me to write
more so please do not hesitate to let me know what you thought by leaving a review! If you love
books on life, basketball, or productivity, check out my website at claytongeoffreys.com to join
my exclusive list where I let you know about my latest books. Aside from being the first to hear
about my latest releases, you can also download a free copy of 33 Life Lessons: Success
Principles, Career Advice & Habits of Successful People. See you there!