Do you find it difficult to stop and think about the things you’re grateful for?

Many of us find it difficult in challenging times to remember why we are grateful, especially when it’s so easy to be overwhelmed by stress. Showing gratitude is a great way to increase positivity in your life and even improve your health. Gratitude isn’t about forgetting your challenges, but instead, finding the good in your current situation.

Here are a few simple tips for becoming more grateful in your everyday life:

Making a list - At the end of the day or week, write down a list of what you are thankful for. Whether life is going your way or not, this list can be a great reminder of what the positives are. When writing your list, remember to think of the smaller things in your life. It’s easy to remember what we are thankful for in the big moments, but there is so much to be grateful for in the small moments as well.

Showing generosity - Generosity is more than your time, talents and treasures. Just a simple “thank you” letting someone know they did something helpful is an easy way to show gratitude. Through the simple action of giving praise to others and saying “thank you”, you’ll become a more generous person.

Being grateful for challenges - Life can throw us curve balls in our personal lives and work lives. When we are thrown these challenges, it’s easy to complain instead of remembering why we are thankful. Our challenges teach us new skills that we can use in the future. By being grateful for the skills it’s teaching us, we can see our challenges with a new outlook.

Volunteering - While volunteering may seem like the obvious answer, we can still learn a lot about being grateful. Volunteering not only helps us to give back to others, but it reminds us what we are grateful for. Continual volunteering is a great way to increase our own happiness.

Intentional time with loved ones - Spending time with loved ones, whether that is family or friends, can strengthen our relationships. We grow closer to those most important to us and we can remember why we are grateful they are in our lives.

Through these simple tips, we can easily show more gratitude in our everyday lives. Studies have shown that expressing gratitude more often actually changes your brain and makes you happier. Expressing gratitude can also help to fight depression and anxiety. By just taking a little extra time to remember why you are grateful, you can be more resilient and live a better life.