There is not a specific time you should practise gratitude. Although, many people tend to do it before getting out of bed in the morning. Studies show when you wake up in the morning your mind is in a quiet state of mind and isn't as 'busy' overthinking with thoughts and emotions.

So every morning before my feet hit the ground, I lay in bed and go through a list of things I am grateful for, they're not particularly big things, for example I give thanks for my warm bed, my healthy body, my loving family and friends and thanks for another day being alive so I can achieve my goals.

Gratitude Journal

Recently I invested in a gratitude journal, which I carry around with me so I can write things down that I want to give thanks for. By regularly writing words on paper it will increase your well-being and help you remember what you are grateful for. Better yet, you can always flick through your journal and remind yourself of these practices to shift your mood anytime you're feeling low.

Carrying a gratitude journal with you will help you write down and give your thanks when you're in that moment. For example, you could be out having coffee with friends and may feel grateful at that present time, now if you didn't have a journal you would possibly forget about giving thanks for that moment.

Whilst giving 'thanks' try to broaden your mind. For instance, you may be thankful for your family, giving thanks on a daily or weekly basis will not trigger your brain to think outside of this. So, instead of writing 'I'm grateful for my family" how about changing this to "I'm so grateful for my family who love and support me to achieve my goals". It is a small but simple change that will trigger your brain into thinking outside the box and will help you think bigger!

Sticking to your practise

Like anything else, once you start something new whether it is a job or project you are excited about, at first you may overexert yourself that might make you not like what you are doing. Practising gratitude can also be just like that. 

Keep in mind, you may run into obstacles along the way but it is down to you to recognise this. Such as, if you finish late from work and are feeling tired, then I would suggest leaving the gratitude practise until the morning when you will feel more refreshed.

Finally, give gratitude to others. Meaning, don't only give thanks towards circumstances or materialistic items but instead spread that gratitude towards people too. Instead of saying "I'm grateful for my friends", why not go into a bit more detail and give thanks to that specific friend of yours (say/write their name) or maybe someone who had an impact on your day whether it was for a minute or an hour.

Few points to remember from this article;