Practicing gratitude has many benefits on overall health and wellness. It can be difficult to stay consistent though. When you’re consistent, you’re able to rewire your mindset and be more grateful in all areas of your life.

These are some of the benefits of practicing gratitude:

• Better sleep.
• Improved mental health.
• Less stress.
• Less materialistic.
• Greater resilience.

One of the best ways to practice gratitude is by creating a morning ritual that incorporates gratefulness. When you do this, you are setting a tone for the day and can go about your day feeling more thankful for all of the goodness in your life.

First, set an intention for your daily gratitude ritual. This will help you to stick to it and see the importance in practicing gratitude each morning.

Example: I intend to write in my gratitude journal for five minutes each morning.

Next, you will need to find a journal that you can use specifically for your gratitude ritual. Writing by hand instead of electronically helps you to connect more with your thoughts. You may feel more of the benefits of gratitude as well.

Make sure you keep your journal somewhere where you will see it often. Your nightstand or your kitchen table might work, as you see those places each morning.

When it’s time to practice gratitude, set a timer for five minutes. Take this time to write down everything you’re grateful for. To take this ritual one step further, list specific reasons why you’re grateful for each thing you add to your list.

Example: Instead of writing, “food,” write, “I am grateful that I have the financial stability to feed my family every day.” 

You are welcome to personalize this gratitude ritual, so it works for you. It can be helpful to use this ritual, especially when you’re first getting started. Then, you may fine-tune it to your specific needs. You might want more time to practice gratitude each day, or you might choose to do it in the evening instead of the morning.

Keep in mind that a morning gratitude ritual doesn’t have to take up very much of your time at all. Some gratitude rituals only take 5 minutes. What matters is that you’re being intentional about gratitude and making time for it each day.

When we dedicate this time to gratitude, we are able to remember to be thankful in every area of our lives.

How are you going to add a gratitude ritual to your daily routine? For my free guide on Getting Grateful, grab it here.