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Gratitude can be simply broken down to appreciating the good things in your life. It does not always seem simple, though. When things are hectic or stressful and crazy, finding the silver lining can be challenging. However, learning how to embrace gratitude can significantly boost your happiness. Being grateful offers a host of other benefits you are probably not aware of, too. Keep reading as we take a closer look at the concept, ways it can improve your life and how to practice it.
About Gratitude
There are many definitions of gratitude. Some people believe it is a feeling or emotion. Others look at it as more of a mood. Still, some folks believe it is a personality trait a person exhibits. As none of these are wrong, they can all be correct. In essence, gratitude elicits satisfaction and appreciation in a person through feelings, actions or even inherent qualities. However, even those of us who may be more inclined to feel grateful on a regular basis through our glass-half-full-optimism likely need to work on evoking such an outlook. Gratitude can be viewed as a practice or something you perform regularly. Most people practice something because it benefits them, and this can be true in this case, as well. As with most other practices, you will get better at demonstrating gratitude the more you work at it.
Benefits of Embracing Gratitude
There are many benefits of gratitude; many of them have been scientifically proven. Once you begin to understand these, chances are good that you will see why it is so important to develop a grateful mindset. It can have a positive effect on both physical and mental health. 
Research has shown that it can improve relaxation, sleep quality and energy levels. Being thankful for your blessings can enhance your emotional wellness. Gratitude, or the expression of it or experience of it, can be part of your self-care. You will deal better in crisis situations and find you are more resilient when you are able to look on the bright side. This can contribute to better relationships, too. Appreciating the positives in life can simply make you feel happier.
Read about the 5 types of self-care here.
Ways to Practice Gratitude
Recognizing your blessings may not come easily at first, but there are some ways to help make it a habit and a regular part of your routine. One of the most convenient and impactful methods for cultivating appreciation is through keeping a gratitude journal. In this practice, you will write down things each day that you are grateful for, which makes it easier to notice and recognize those good things. I created a set of gratitude prompt cards. You can grab them here for FREE. It is printable. Print as many, or as few, copies as you would like of it. 
Meditation has also been shown to help. Also, making an effort to thank someone each day, for even the smallest thing, opens your eyes and heart to abundance. Giving back and doing good for others can provide tremendous perspective, as well.
Now you have a better idea of just what making a concerted effort to count your blessings can do for your life. Embracing and expressing gratitude are more important than many of us realize.