When children are given gifts at their birthday parties, they often get so embarrassed that they hide behind their parents or don’t know where to look. We all smile at the children and know their behavior is not because they are ungrateful but because they feel overwhelmed and humbled. We also know that with time they learn to express gratitude in different ways, even if it is just quietly whispering, “Thank you.”
We all show gratitude in different ways. Some of us struggle to open up and might feel like we haven’t shown enough, while some of us feel just like the small children — overwhelmed and humbled by gratitude, often taken by surprise that we don’t know how to accept gifts and show how grateful we really are deep down. How do we start showing more gratitude and turn our lives into a positive chain of events instantly?
You can start by listing five to 10 things you are grateful for at this moment. It’s easier to start with thinking about all the small and free pleasures of life. This can vary from the kindness people have shown you lately to a healthy mind and body that allows you to enjoy life. Be grateful for the awareness of having all the people and things in your life, your strength, and courage to complete daily responsibilities.
As you immerse yourself in what’s already happened in your life and how much you have, you can move on to what’s to come. Being grateful in advance for the abundance that’s on the way — it’s as important as the present and past.
You can start feeling gratefulness towards your future — new opportunities, career prospects, a network of friends or travel. And while you are thinking about your list, don’t forget to tap into the most powerful source you have access to, the source that is responsible for where you are right now and where you are supposed to be going: your imagination. Once you feel the gratitude and have a concentrated intention, you can start expressing it. You can start this by thanking the kind people you listed before. Send them a thank you note, do them a favor or acknowledge them publicly. Thankfulness implies an outward expression of one’s gratitude.
Benefits of making gratitude a daily habit include a positive attitude and less judgment. One great daily habit of showing gratitude is being an active listener. Acknowledge the speaker with your body language and encourage positive feedback. Making good eye contact is a great daily habit that shows gratitude and shows that you are focused and paying attention.
You don’t have to be giving out daily over-the-top compliments to show gratitude. Just being there and being thoughtful is oftentimes enough. Volunteer in your community and share your skills, but do everything with a positive attitude and smile often. A simple smile from you can instantly brighten up someone’s day. With a little practice, your abilities to show gratitude will come to you naturally and open your life up to receiving more abundance leading to a better life.
Trust in your heart, your soul, your mind, and body that you are a grateful person who is at peace with expressing your feelings of gratitude beyond the child who is too overwhelmed and humbled. 
