I like that our nation officially celebrates being thankful, if only for a day. However, I firmly believe that gratitude isn’t just for November. Gratitude can be part of any day. We truly benefit from incorporating the discipline of gratitude into our every day.

Living a Gratitude-Rich Life

I love ordering picture books from the library that inspire gratitude and celebrate Thanksgiving, and planning special activities in our homeschool to celebrate the season. We all have so much to be thankful for, and it is certainly worthy of celebration.

I just wish it didn’t have to go away so quickly. Honestly, do you ever kinda feel like it’s not even a day of giving thanks? Between the football games and the Black Friday deals, maybe it’s more like an hour or two?

The reality is, thanksgiving is never just about a day. It’s a way of life. 

Living a gratitude-rich life is something I’m still learning to do. It’s something I work to cultivate personally and in our family and homeschool routines. It frequently feels unnatural and oftentimes very difficult.

However, I have experienced time and again the incredible power of even the smallest thoughts of gratitude to transform my thoughts, feelings and behaviors.

Gratitude isn’t just for November. It isn’t even just for one day in November.

Let’s celebrate Thanksgiving with friends and family, wholeheartedly remembering our blessings and being filled with thankfulness for them.

Then, let’s keep gratitude in its proper place: a daily habit that we cultivate with intentionality and purpose. Living a life of gratitude has the potential to change your life!

Practical Ways to Have More Gratitude

1-Practice Daily Gratitude

The easiest way for me to practice this important part of my self-care plan is by keeping a gratitude journal. There are many pretty gratitude journals you can purchase online, but any old notebook will do.

I keep the journal at my bedside. Every evening (give or take a few) I record all the things I can think of that made me grateful that day.

It can be something as simple as enjoying a cup of warm tea to big life events like having a new baby (I didn’t have a new baby! Just an example!)

The important aspect is taking the time to reflect, day in and day out, on all the ways that God bestows His blessings upon each of us.

The prevalence of discontent in our culture certainly doesn’t lend itself to seeing all that we DO have. We’re constantly being told we need more.

Choosing gratitude allows us to see the ways in which our lives are overflowing with good gifts.

Chooseing gratitude allows us to see the ways in which our lives are overflowing with good gifts.

Kids can practice daily gratitude as well. For younger kids, ask them what they’re thankful for and then write it down, or have them draw a picture. A personal journal or sketchbook could work well for all ages of kids.

Try tying the habit of gratitude to anchors in the day, such as mealtimes or bedtimes. In our homeschool, I’ve found that keeping a gratitude journal handy in our Morning Time bin is an effective way to include gratitude in our day. Pair that with a homeschool curriculum kit specifically created to teach kids about generosity and gratitude and you will be well on your way!

If a gratitude journal doesn’t feel appealing, try keeping a gratitude jar by the dining table with blank slips of paper. At a meal, everyone can write something they’re thankful for and toss it into the jar. At the end of the month, they can be read together as a family. 

To get even more creative, glue the paper slips onto cardstock and place them in a picture frame. Alternatively, you could take a picture of all the slips, print it and place it into a photo album. That would make a fun book to look through as a family at the year’s end!

2-Give Thanks Before Meals

Growing up, my family always prayed before dinner. Thankfully, family dinners were a regularly occurring event in our home.

Today, that habit continues in the family I am raising. It’s a simple way to pause, offering thanks for having food and being together.

Sounds simple, doesn’t it?

We’re so used to having ample supplies of food we often don’t even stop to consider what a blessing that is. 

However, take a moment to read these world hunger facts. Having plenty to eat is something we can’t take for granted. Giving thanks before meals or at least a meal of the day is a wonderful way to cultivate a consistent gratitude habit with your kids.

One fantastic book I use in our homeschool that I highly recommend is What the World Eats by Faith D’Aluisio. This book provides a fascinating look at what families around the world eat.

There are fantastic photographs of each family accompanied by their food, as well as a short story about the family. You could easily use this book at dinner to learn geography and culture, and inspire important conversation.

3-Write Thank You Notes

Writing thank you notes is another great opportunity to teach gratitude to our kids. In some ways, it feels like writing notes of thanks is becoming outdated.

I fully support thank you note writing and believe it’s an important act for our kids. It’s a simple way to spread kindness in a tangible and personal way.

In this day and age, how can you go wrong with that?

There are some etiquette rules in regards to thank you notes (if you care). However, the general rule of thumb in our family is that thank you notes are written when someone goes out of their way to bless you with an opportunity or gift you wouldn’t otherwise have. 

Keeping a variety of card stock, pens, pencils, markers, stickers, and envelopes on hand will allow your kids to have fun in personalizing their thanks.

It’s rewarding seeing my kids spend 10-15 minutes drawing creative pictures and writing a simple but heartfelt message to express their gratitude. 

Thank you’s can be given to friends, coaches, teachers, pastors, youth leaders, neighbors, etc. Don’t let your kids be the only ones writing thank you notes!

Spread the love and kindness by being the first to model this habit. Besides, everyone loves getting a personalized piece of mail!

Invest in some beautiful cards or stationery for yourself, or try your hand at making your own homemade cards. You might find yourself actually looking forward to writing that thank you note.

4-Say Thank You Often

Allowing the words thank you to be heard regularly around your home is another simple way to promote a habit of gratitude, while also contributing to a home environment that promotes kindness and manners.

Honestly, why is it sometimes easier to say thank you to a stranger than it is to our own kids or spouse? Don’t we often expect those closest to us to do what we ask, no thank you required?

I’ve been guilty of sending my kids running around the house to do various tasks for me with nary a thank you. Or, neglecting to appreciate various tasks that my spouse takes responsibility for (and I’m glad I don’t have to!).

Kindness in our own homes is just as important as kindness to a stranger! 

Kindness in our own homes is just as important as kindness to a stranger!

Perhaps it’s because I’m growing older, or maybe it’s because our world seems so kindness-starved, but saying thank you when I’m out and about is an action I’ve become more conscientious about.

From the cashier at the grocery store, to someone holding a door for me, I’ve made it a point to clearly and kindly say thank you. Surprisingly, this has also created excellent conversation with my kids. My hope is that what I model will become second nature for them.

The point is, I think we all wouldn’t mind hearing “thank you” a little more, do you?

5-Use Gratitude Reminders

How many of us are walking around constantly remembering to be grateful?

No hands raised?

I know.

In the midst of my busy homeschool days, I’m distracted by about 10 million things. Gratitude is often an afterthought.

No worries. Start using gratitude reminders!

I’m not sure what will work well for you and your family, but I have a few ideas. Try putting gratitude reminders on your calendar.

Literally.

Schedule 5 minutes to stop and practice gratitude.

You might also try using a daily planning sheet or planner that includes blank spaces to write down daily gifts as you think of them.

If you’re into quotable wall art, find some gratitude printables you like and hang them in places you frequent, like the refrigerator, bathroom or bedroom mirror. 

I’ve put together some inspirational gratitude quotes, scripture verses about thankfulness, and a printable gratitude prayer to help you start living a life of gratitude.

You can download these FREE PDF’s below!

6-Train Yourself To Replace a Negative Thought With a Thankful One

True story: I was informed by the dental hygienist at my latest check-up that I had a few spots where my gums were starting to recede.

What?!? I was surprised.

Isn’t that what happens to old people?

Then I remembered…I am getting older!

It certainly was no serious emergency, but on the drive home I started to fixate on it. I started obsessing about whether I should purchase a new toothbrush, and if I should switch toothpaste. I wondered how I would remember to brush those areas more delicately so as not to exacerbate the problem.

Suddenly, (and thankfully) I recognized my unhelpful, anxiety-inducing thought pattern and interrupted that thinking with this: Jamilyn, just be thankful you are even able to get dental care!

I thought of the many women in the world who have zero access to dental care right now, and the millions of women who have greater things causing them anxiety than receding gums.

That one moment of gratitude helped put my negative thoughts in their place.

In the book The Gratitude Project: How the Science of Thankfulness Can Rewire Our Brains for Resilience, Optimism, and the Great Good, Emmons and Smith note in chapter one:

“In moments of adversity…gratitude helps us see the big picture and not feel overwhelmed by the setbacks we’re facing in the moment.” 

I’m not saying gratitude will solve all your problems, or eliminate your anxiety. However, research does show that gratitude has the capacity to positively affect the way we think and act.

I don’t know about you, but that sounds pretty good to me.

How Do You Live a Life of Gratitude?

Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind. Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy.

Psalm 107:21-22

There are so many creative ways to make gratitude a part of daily life. After all, gratitude isn’t just for November.

Do you keep an individual or family gratitude journal? What helps you incorporate more gratitude into your life?