What are you grateful for? You may be pondering this question as you prepare to mark Thanksgiving – traditionally a celebration of the harvest and an opportunity to show gratitude for the good things in life.

Studies have shown that cultivating an attitude of gratitude for what you have, however modest, can boosts you well-being, strengthen your relationships and increase your happiness. It can even improve your sleep, which is good for both your physical and mental health.

Here’s how to get started.

Feel all the feelings
Practising gratitude isn’t just about appreciating the good things in your life – it’s also about being present, mindful and grounded in reality. This doesn’t mean candy coating or ignoring your current situation. Even if you’re going through a tough time, you can still make room for gratitude. First, take the time to feel any difficult thoughts or emotions without judgment. Then, after you’ve reflected on those, take stock of what you’re grateful for: people, things, interactions, no matter how big or small. It’s about highlighting the positive moments amid the challenging ones.

Say it out loud
Maybe it’s a quick “Thanks!” to your bus driver or the person in the coffee shop drive-thru (every tiny interaction counts), or maybe it’s a heartfelt text message or letter to a loved one. No matter how you say it, being thankful for the people in your life is sure to put a spring in their step – and yours!

Start a gratitude journal
It’s simple – but that’s what makes it brilliant. Keeping a gratitude journal can help you notice and document the things you’re thankful for. You don’t need a special notebook – the back of an envelope works just fine, too. Be specific. Provide some detail. For example, if you’re “grateful for friends,” dig deeper: name a friend, describe how they make you feel and note how you’ve been connecting with them lately. And make writing things down a regular habit, whether you spend a bit of time on it each day or you can only manage once a week. Studies with children have shown it to improve their optimism and life satisfaction.

Start a mindfulness practice
Your next step could be trying a mindfulness meditation exercise. A form of meditation, mindfulness is about focusing your attention on the present moment –  your senses, your breathing and the things around you. It’s been shown to reduce stress and increase compassion.

There are different ways of practising mindfulness. Try sitting silently for a few minutes, just focusing on your breath. When your mind wanders, which it will, gently bring it back to your breath. That non-judgmental practice is what meditation is all about. Once you have a mindfulness meditation practice, you can add an element of gratitude to it.

Savour the world
Gratitude isn’t just about the people in your life, your job or the things you have – you can also be grateful for the natural world. In fact, spending time outside can give you a much deeper appreciation for everything around you. Try taking some time over the long weekend to go for a walk and appreciate the wonders of the world around you, from the rustle of the leaves underfoot to the sun filtering through the trees overhead. Use all five senses to find extra things to appreciate.

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