Gratitude goals

It happens to all of us: life gets busy and as we speed along, we forget to pause and look up. We end up focused on the bumps in the road rather than the sun in the sky.

But when you take a moment to think about the good things in your life – it could be flowers in the park or your upcoming holidays - the gratitude you feel sparks a burst of happiness. The more often you pause for gratitude, the more that state of mind lingers. And when it comes to weight loss and wellness, happier people make healthier choices.

Gratitude also prepares you to be able to rebound from setbacks and to meet challenges head on. It can help us to feel more content in our relationships, and it can even help you to sleep better.

One way to increase gratitude is by taking a moment – maybe at the same time each day – to focus on the good things that have happened that day.

Choose three days this week to try this technique:

1. Think of three good things that happened in the past 24 hours: they could be small, like a walk in the park, or big, such as a promotion at work.

2. Write about each good thing in detail: when and where it happened, what you wore, who was with you, etc.

3. Note how you felt during and after you experienced this good thing.