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"Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful."
-Buddha

Gratitude journals, beatitudes, and prayer are just a few outlets for expressing thankfulness. Whether gratefulness is expressed toward an outer source or in response to an act of kindness, expressing gratitude is known to have a number of physical and mental health benefits.

Reverend Chris Michaels of the Center for Spiritual Living in Kansas City, MO says, "Being grateful is more than a social grace; it creates an awareness and consciousness of receptivity. When you receive, you claim, accept, and acknowledge ownership. An attitude of gratitude is an attitude of being able to receive the good that is already available."

Being in a gratuitous state of mind is key according to Reverend Michaels. "When you're in a gratuitous state of mind you're in a state that is receptive to good. God is not an external event, but an internal awareness. When you cultivate an attitude that is thankful it is highly receptive to greater good. Your responsibility is to cultivate that awareness. No one can guilt or shame you into gratefulness. You must cultivate and maintain that awareness in your own life."

To start acknowledging gratitude in your life, you need only write down five things for which you're grateful each day. Among other benefits, people who have kept gratitude journals over a period of time report that it helps them focus on what they have in the present.

Learn more about this author, Jill Dutton.
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