Everyone’s blessed, but we know you want more in life. There’s nothing wrong with looking for improvement, but you’re not going to invite any into your life with a sour attitude. Start being thankful for the life you have and you’ll be trusted with more. Here’s how you should start:

1.)    Have a dedicated gratitude journal.

This is to help you realign your focus to more positive things. It’s also handy for when times are especially tough. You end up scanning a previous entry, and then you’re flipping through the pages, getting a positivity boost. It also doesn’t help to mix things like work matters because it distracts you from being positive.

2.)    Use a few minutes after waking up as a gratitude period.

Start your day choosing to look at the brighter side. It makes it easier to practice gratitude for the rest of the day. Plus, you’ll roll up to work, ready to spread the good vibes. We need more of that. Your office might need it more than you know.

3.)    Make it a point not to say anything negative in the morning before work.

It’s tough, we know, but remember what we mentioned about starting the day being positive? It also does wonders for your family. If you’re not living with anyone, it’ll bring good change to the staff at the diner where you have your breakfast or the baristas at the coffee shop. Don’t expect immediate results. Give them, and yourself, some time.

4.)    Find things to be thankful for during your trip to and from the office.

It’ll take more than a few minutes of gratitude exercise to be dancing into your workplace but it’ll feel second nature once you get the hang of it. For now, this easy daily activity will be a great addition to the list. There’s no better time to practice it than during the morning commute when you’re feeling rushed and flustered. The second best is on your calm trip home to shake off any stress and negative emotions you had in the middle of the day.

5.)    Appreciate 1 person a day.

It hits two birds with one stone. You’d be improving your outlook in life and brightening someone’s day. Hopefully, you’d also be passing on the gift of optimism to them. Make sure it’s an honest remark that you believe in. Expect unwanted reactions if they feel you’re lying. It’ll also be their initial reaction since it’s not your habit, but press on the next day.

6.)    Find the good in the bad.

This is the toughest of the assignments. If you feel you’re not ready yet for this one yet, the first five would be a good start. To really build up a happy disposition, you need to push your boundaries like working out a muscle. There’s always something to be thankful for. Look for it. That’s what cheerful people do.

Anticipate that you’ll be uncomfortable, the first interactions would be awkward, and not everyone will respond well to positivity. Don’t allow that to faze you and focus on your own growth because that’s the goal here. Being positive isn’t actually about others but more about yourself so keep your attention on that. The rest will follow.