Grateful Every Day: A Framework for Practicing Gratitude

What is gratitude? A beautiful definition is “to be warmly or deeply appreciative of kindness or benefits received.” Real-life examples of gratitude include, but are certainly not limited to, saying thank you for an action someone took for you, e.g., holding the door or making your sandwich at Panera, writing a thank you note to a colleague who helped you at work or school, being thankful for your health, and having money to pay for food. The list of things to be grateful for in life is endless, and we’ll provide you with a framework for practicing gratitude.

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But first, stop reading and take 3 minutes to ask yourself how frequently you express gratitude and what you give gratitude for. How extensive is your list?

Perhaps you expressed gratitude that your daughter passed her math test or that your son made the swim team. Maybe the traffic was lighter than expected, and you arrived on time for your doctor’s appointment. Or that your pet’s illness isn’t as serious as you initially thought. Perhaps you cannot find any reason to be grateful today, and we’ll address this shortly.

Tradition holds that our society expresses gratitude at important events such as Thanksgiving, awards ceremonies, after a successful operation, or after a significant work event such as a promotion, a closed deal, or a successful launch of a new initiative. These events warrant gratefulness, but gratitude should be a component of daily life and reflect what we (may) take for granted.

So, how does one do this?

Here is an illustration of how the authors express daily gratitude.

1. We take three 5-minute breaks daily to express gratitude.

2. Listed below are some of the things we’re grateful for.

3. Dig deep into your day, if necessary, to uncover gratitude opportunities.

4. Never have a day where you cannot find gratitude.

Daily Gratitude Expressions (Example)

Daily gratitude will profoundly affect you as you realize how much you must be thankful for. It will calm you even on the most trying days because you’re constantly reflecting on the good things that have happened, even if they’re the most essential things, such as a cup of coffee. It has a civilizing effect, too, as your sense of “wealth” increases with gratitude, and you realize how much you have to give to others. Please make it a habit to be thankful.