Five Ways to Practice GratitudeSometimes, it may feel simply impossible to see the positive in a given situation or to have gratitudefor your position in life. We may feel like the world is intent on sending us obstacles and gratitudemay seem out of reach. What’s ironic is that gratitude is just what we may need to conjure upsolutions to life’s challenges.

Gratitude opens up new possibilities. The word itself is from the Latin gratia, which means grace,graciousness, or gratefulness. People who embrace gratitude can see the beauty in most situationsand, as a result, are likely to realize the beauty in all aspects of life. Developing gratitude is likebuilding muscles – doing so requires repetition and persistence.

HAPPY PEOPLE HAVE PROBLEMS, TOO

Gratitude can be cultivated in ways such as counting your blessings, prayer, journaling, mindfulness(appreciating the present moment) and writing thank you notes to express appreciation for thepeople in your life. Happy people can have a challenging day yet still find happiness in simple

things – a phone call from loved ones, a hearty meal, or astroll through the park. You don’t have to wait forThanksgiving to be thankful. Start right here, right now!Here are five simple ways to embrace gratitude:

1. Dare to be Aware: Become more aware of your thoughts.How do you perceive the world? If you find yourself veeringoff into negative territory, bring it back to the positive. Try tosee what’s good and realize that life will never be without

struggle. Don’t take your blessings for granted. When you’re more aware of your thought patterns,you can choose to react differently to life’s circumstances.

2. On a Positive Note: Optimism is one outcome of showing gratitude. Taking an optimisticapproach to life opens the door for happiness, which can significantly enhance your health andreduce stress. If you convey gratitude for what you have in life, you pour energy into the positive.This approach helps your mind, body, and spirit. It’s just as easy to look on the bright side of life asit is to focus on the negative, so take a walk on the sunny side.

3. Make Someone’s Day: Let the people in your life know how important they are to you and youmay very well make their day. You can either craft a letter or share your feelings in person. Whenyou receive a call from loved ones, let them know how happy you are to receive their call. Give afriend, coworker – or even a stranger – a sincere compliment (try to give one compliment everyday) and put a smile on your face and theirs. You might even make new friends in the process orinspire someone to pay the compliment forward.

4. Write On: Keep a gratitude journal by your bed and write down three to five reasons to begrateful. Do so either first thing in the morning or right before bedtime. If you write in your journalbefore getting some ZZZs, you might find that you get an even better night’s sleep. Once you startcompiling a gratitude list, you may realize that you have far more than three to five blessings in

your life.

5. Lend a Hand: Spread good cheer by volunteering – whether it’s working with children, theelderly, animals, or any other organization. Or, raise money for an organization by selling yourartwork or collecting donations from family and friends. Giving back allow you to feel good aboutyourself as you help others in need.

To learn more about the Claudia Black Center, or to speak with an Admissions representative,please call 855-333-6075 or visit us here.