Some days, gratitude comes to us naturally. On other days, we can’t even recall what it feels like to appreciate our unique circumstances. Whether you’re a person who experiences chronic or complicated pain, or just navigating the stress of everyday life, there are moments when focusing on the good feels utterly out of reach. For many, the very suggestion to “just look at the bright side,” can feel unrealistic and dismissive. But gratitude – when practiced intentionally and consistently – becomes less about masking pain and more about gently training your mind to notice what is supportive, even in difficult moments.

So what does practicing gratitude look like in real life? Here are ten simple ways to begin from Robert Emmons’ book Thanks!:

1 Keep a gratitude journal. Sit down daily and write about the things for which you are grateful. Start with whatever springs to mind. Try not to write the same thing every day but explore your gratitude. It soon becomes a creative activity.

2 Remember the bad. The way things are now may seem better in the light of bad memories. Don't forget the difficult things that have happened; the contrast between the good and bad may encourage gratefulness.

3 Ask yourself three questions. Choose someone you know, then first consider what you have received from them, second what you have given to them, and thirdly what trouble you have caused them. This may lead to discovering you owe others more than you thought.

4 Whether you’re Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Muslim or atheist, a routine form of giving thanks may help increase gratitude.

5 Use your senses. 80% of people say they are thankful for their health. If so, then get back in touch with the simple human fact of being able to sense what is out there: use your vision, touch, taste and smell to experience the world, and be as thankful as you can.

6 Use visual reminders. Two big obstacles to being grateful are simply forgetting and failing to be mindful. So, leave a note of some kind reminding you to be grateful. It could be a sticky note, an object in your home or another person to nudge you occasionally.

7 Swear an oath to be more grateful. Promise on whatever you hold holy that you'll be more grateful. Sounds crazy? There's a study to show it works.

8 Think grateful thoughts. Called automatic thoughts or self-talk in cognitive therapy, these are the habitual things we say to ourselves all day long. What if you said to yourself: "My life is a gift" all day long? Too cheesy? OK, what about: "Every day is a surprise."

9 Acting grateful is being grateful. Say thank you. . . become more grateful. It's that simple.

10 Be grateful to your enemies? It may take a big creative leap to be thankful to the people who you most despise. But big creative leaps are just the kind of things likely to set off a change in you. Give it a try.

While these practices may seem simple, they can be surprisingly difficult to apply consistently, especially without the right guidance or support. In our coaching programs, we don’t just talk about concepts like gratitude - we help people integrate them into their daily lives in ways that feel realistic and sustainable. Our upcoming Health and Wellness Coaching Program (starting this May) is designed to train individuals to become coaches and, in turn, teach others how to build these kinds of habits with structure and supportive accountability. If you have a calling to support those in your community, come join us this May to learn to help others live well with their chronic or complicated pain.