Do you look for the good in bad? You know, so many times in life, unpleasant things happen to us and then, in time, something good comes out of that experience, like a better job or relationship. Try to open up to any opportunity that might be there in difficult situations and use this new insight to find greater hope and strength.

You know, it’s easy to lose sight of all that we actually have, which is OK. We’re human afterall. My trips to Guatemala taught me that you can still be grateful and happy even if you have very little. It’s all about making the decision to focus on the good. So it’s important to stop and think about what and who you might be taking for granted. This will help you remember the many blessings that you have in life.

Do you practice yoga? I admit, I’ve only done it a handful of times, although I have taken 2 yoga classes this month so I’m pretty proud of myself! Yoga is great though. Besides helping you become more flexible, which is something I definitely need, Yoga allows you to learn to appreciate yourself through physical movement and exploration of the body. You’ll learn to savor your body’s health, intelligence, grace, and beauty. If you think about it, yoga is the union of mind, body, and soul and you can be thankful everyday that you can participate in such a practice.

When you go to a coffee shop and buy a cup of coffee, do you thank the barista? Have you ever thought about taking your gratitude a little deeper, and think about all the people that contributed to your morning cup of coffee? This is something New York Times bestselling author A.J. Jacobs decided to find out when he went on a quest to thank every single person involved in producing his morning cup of coffee. There’s a lot of people who deserve a thank you when you think about everything that goes into making your morning cup of coffee. From the lid designer, to the coffee bean farmer, to the people that pave the roads so your coffee can get to you in the first place, the number of people can seem endless. This gratitude journey took AJ across the globe revealed to him how gratitude can make us all happier, more generous, and more connected. Check out the book Thanks a Thousand on Amazon and read more about his amazing journey.

A week ago, My friend Stephanie Jones launched her second book, The Gratitude Challenge.

I met Stephanie in an online group a couple of years ago and she's one of the most thoughtful, giving people you'll ever meet.

Inside this book, you’ll find:

???? short, heartwarming stories from Stephanie and a few of her friends, including me!

❤️ daily gratitude challenges;

???? journal space to write your thoughts and what you are thankful for; and

???? ideas of whose day you can easily brighten and how.

We need gratitude and genuine connection more than ever! So if you want a little more positivity in your day

Purchase Today at

(Author’s Website for Signed Copies) https://givinggal.com/shop/

Or find it on Amazon.

Spend Time With Loved Ones: If you’re struggling with feeling the gratitude in the moment, go spend time with your friends and family. Of course it will help you grow closer to them and strengthen your relationship, but it will also give you a chance to practice your acts of gratitude on people that you care about.

If you’re having trouble finding ways to support your friends and family, you can start small. For instance, why don’t you make sure you’re listening intently the next time someone shares a story with you instead of waiting for your own chance to speak? Or start a conversation with a difficult member of the family by complimenting their new shoes or hair-cut. Those small little gestures can make a big difference in someone’s life and will help you feel closer to them.

I’m Scott Colby with Say It With Gratitude and this has been your Daily Gratitude Minute. Cheers.

I've talked about a lot of ways to use gratitude to grow your business, such as sending out handwritten thank you cards.

Don't forget the importance of gratitude to help your personal growth. I recommend each morning listing or saying things or people you're grateful for, to get you in the right mindset.

If we walk around all day thinking negative thoughts, and focusing on what we don't have in life or in our businesses, that will hurt your business growth.

Flip those thoughts have focus on all that you do have and the direction you want your business to go in.

I’m Scott Colby with Say It With Gratitude and this has been your Daily Gratitude Minute. Cheers.

Michael Sciortino wrote a book called Gratitude Marketing.

Here's how he describes gratitude marketing and how you can use gratitude to grow your business (excerpt from RMA Connect):

"While traditional marketing speaks at people, Gratitude Marketing engages and connects with people. Gratitude Marketing helps you connect on a deeper and more meaningful level with the clients you are committed to for the long term.

Gratitude motivates positive reciprocal behavior. It also combines both emotion and behavior. There is a feeling of appreciation and an expression of that appreciation through some kind of action. Gratitude, therefore, can serve as the basis of a relationship beyond the transaction. If a client believes that an advisor has his or her best interests at heart, that client is more inclined to develop a long-term relationship with the advisor."

Here are 3 ideas that can be implemented immediately:

1) Recognize your client’s big days (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.)- Sure you may have heard of this, but how many of you are doing it?

2) Set aside time each day to call three clients, just to say hi and check in and be fully present in that conversation. As Zig Ziglar stressed that “you never know when a moment and a few sincere words can have an impact on a life.”

3) The birthday lunch idea – This is an extension of the first idea above. Call up your client who is celebrating their birthday in the upcoming months and invite them to lunch. Encourage them to bring three of their friends along. What client would not respond to such warmth and gratitude? At the lunch, do not talk about business. But instead really focus on the people you’re eating lunch with.

I’m Scott Colby with Say It With Gratitude and this has been your Daily Gratitude Minute. Cheers.

Practice Mindfulness: I talk a lot about writing down what you’re grateful for. But I want you to start practicing mindfulness and think about it too! Here’s what you do: Sit down daily and think through five to ten things you are grateful for. The trick is that you need to picture it in your mind and sit with that feeling of gratitude in your body. Doing this every day will rewire your brain to be naturally more grateful, and you’ll start feeling happier after every session.

I’m Scott Colby with Say It With Gratitude and this has been your Daily Gratitude Minute. Cheers.

This tip is about Raising Happier Kids: Now I don’t have kids myself, however, children are open books for learning and absorb things without judgment. Teach a child to be grateful by helping him or her send thank you notes for gifts received, say thank you more often, give teachers and others gifts, volunteer and I bet you’ll have happier kids as a result!

I’m Scott Colby with Say It With Gratitude and this has been your Daily Gratitude Minute. Cheers.