Being thankful is the only way.

Practice gratitude.

Easier said than done, hey?

How can you be grateful when life throws you curve balls, when relationships are rocky, when your kids have been up all night, when your husband has man-flu, when you lose your job, when you’re down to your last $50, when you don’t feel well, when life is just tough?

Gratitude is actually the thing we must do in moments like these. It’s the one thing that reminds us that someone else is worse off, and therefore we are going to be ok. Not that we are happy that someone else is worse off, but it gives us hope and a little light on our darkest days. It also reminds us that we can do something to help someone else who is doing it tougher than us.

Likewise on our happier days, we should also be grateful. Because it re-affirms that life brings us special moments, a regular day that just went smoothly, your baby’s first word, finishing a project, having a wine with your girlfriends, a night out on the town, a great workout, a walk in the park.

We must create a ritual to be grateful everyday. Otherwise, it’s so easy to forget.

My ritual when I close my eyes to sleep at night is to list three things that I am grateful for. I think about them for a while and allow them to make me smile. I have the best night’s sleep afterwards.

I highly recommend being grateful. It softens your heart and profoundly changes the way you look at your life.

What’s your gratitude ritual?