4 Ways to Improve Your Gratitude Attitude!
November 10, 2025
The Thanksgiving season allows us to pause before the hustle of the winter holidays. Here, we can take a breath, reflect on the year’s journey, and note the experiences and relationships for which we’re thankful.
We’ve talked about ways to incorporate a gratitude practice into your daily life, and those are worth revisiting. This year seems like a great time to focus on the experience of gratitude. What does gratitude look like? And even more importantly, what does gratitude FEEL like? How do we engage with it?
When the world feels like an especially turbulent place, it can make it more challenging to connect with gratitude. Here are 4 ways to center gratitude as we head into the holiday season.
Wonder isn’t limited to sunsets and puppy yawns. It can show up at work too: a breakthrough idea in a meeting, a kind email from a colleague, or a moment when your team finally clicks after a tough project.
Of course, it’s also in the simple, everyday details: a sky streaked with color at the end of the day, the smell of fresh coffee, or a quiet minute before your next call. When something makes you pause, smile, or feel inspired, take a moment to notice it.
You could be anywhere, doing anything, but instead you are here, experiencing this moment. Let yourself feel genuine gratitude for it. Noticing small moments of wonder—at work and in life: keeps perspective fresh, energy high, and joy close at hand.
Sometimes life gives us lemons when we were expecting lemonade. The frustration or disappointment that follows is real, and it is okay to feel it. Once you have had a moment to process those emotions, take a step back and look at the situation from another angle.
A canceled lunch might become an unexpected free hour to catch up or take a walk. A good neighbor moving away might open the door to a new friendship with the next one who moves in.
Shifting your focus from what went wrong to what could go right helps you stay flexible, optimistic, and resilient in both work and life.
Every day offers countless opportunities to express gratitude. It might be thanking someone who holds the door, appreciating a colleague for their help, or acknowledging good service. These quick moments of kindness lift others and remind them that what they do matters. Gratitude costs nothing, yet its impact is lasting.
You can also take it a step further. Write a note to someone who made a difference in your life: a former boss, mentor, or friend who supported you through a challenge. Leave a positive review for a restaurant or local business that impressed you. A few thoughtful words can brighten someone’s day and strengthen your own sense of connection and joy.
In the fable The Magic Thread, an old woman gives a boy a ball of string that allows him to fast-forward through life. He skips the boring parts like chores and schoolwork, but when he reaches the end, he realizes he has missed the joy and meaning hidden in those everyday moments.
Our smartphones can act like that same magic thread. With a few taps, we can scroll past the waiting, the silence, or even the person right in front of us. Yet the moments we try to rush through are often the ones that bring connection, insight, or calm.
What if, instead, we chose to stay present? At work, that could mean giving your full attention in a meeting or truly listening when a colleague shares an idea. In daily life, it might be making small talk with someone in line or noticing the sound of rain outside your window.
You can also use these moments to check in with yourself. Notice the pressure of the chair against your back, the temperature of the room, or how your body feels after sitting too long. When someone speaks, listen attentively. If your mind drifts, gently bring it back.
Presence is not about perfection. It is about choosing to show up for the life you are living, one moment at a time.
These ideas are just a few ways to practice gratitude and boost your happiness. Making thankfulness a daily habit can lift your mood, strengthen relationships, and create a more positive outlook at work and in life.
Learn more in my book, 21 Days to Happiness, available in French and English in multiple formats. Each day of the 21-day journey identifies an area of our lives that contributes to our overall happiness and teaches what we can do to start living happier lives today. Day 1 focuses specifically on gratitude practices and the impact gratitude has on our lives.
This is also the perfect time of year to celebrate your team by offering our Happiness at Work Conference. It is a meaningful way to recognize employees, express appreciation, and inspire lasting engagement. Together, we can help your organization finish the year on a high note—energized, grateful, and motivated for what comes next.
