Piglet noticed that even though he had a very small heart it could hold a rather large amount of gratitude

A.A. Milne in Winnie the Pooh

GRATITUDE has power

• it allows for celebration of the present moment
• it blocks negative emotions like greed or envy
• it decreases stress and increases immune response

GRATEFUL People

• have higher levels of optimism & happiness
• sleep better and feel more refreshed on awakening
• are more forgiving
• feel less isolated or lonely

What is Gratitude?

According to gratitude expert Mike McCullough  "People feel grateful when they have benefited from someone's costly, intentional, voluntary effort on their behalf". So the difference between feeling grateful and being a grateful person is this; getting a gift allows you to experience feeling grateful but being grateful is a fundamental orientation of your personality. Some people are just naturally more grateful than others. But the good news is, with practice you can cultivate the mindset of a grateful person. So how do you do that?

I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.

G.K. Chesterton

Some simple steps to get started

Take time to notice the beauty around you- stop and smell the roses.Accept gifts graciously, as though they are from fortune and not birthrightThanks people who never get thanked.Quality over quantity- be sincere.As you start recognizing all the wonderful things already in your life, the world opens up for you to attract more to your life.