By Gretchen Rubin
Gratitude is a key element for a happy life. People who cultivate gratitude get a boost in happiness and optimism, feel more connected to other people, are better-liked and have more friends, are more likely to help others—they even sleep better and have fewer headaches.
Nevertheless, I find it...challenging to cultivate a grateful frame of mind. I find it all too easy to fail to appreciate all the things I feel grateful for—from pervasive, basic things like democratic government and running water, to major, personal aspects of my life such as the fact that I love my work and that my younger daughter has outgrown her fearsome tantrums, to little passing joys, like an unexpectedly cool July morning. I get preoccupied with petty complaints and minor irritations, and forget just... More...
