With Thanksgiving coming up this week and more holiday celebrations just around the corner, we can’t help but be reminded of how thankful we are to have everything from good friends and family to the most basic human needs, like food, water, and a warm place to live. 

But should gratitude only be a seasonal thing? We don’t think so! The more thankful we are on a regular basis – from our first sip of lemon water to our evening meditation – the more gratitude will permeate our lives and have a lasting effect with many benefits.

While you may have heard that being thankful daily can make you healthier and happier, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn of its additional effects.

Here are 5 wonderful things that happen when you embrace gratitude every day:

1. You are more generous with others.

In a world of consumerism, gratitude helps us feel like we have enough - more than enough - and that makes us want to share with others. Whether it’s being more thoughtful when buying gifts, surprising our loved ones with a home cooked meal, or offering up our time for community volunteering, generosity becomes an effortless part of our lives and it gives other people things to be thankful for too.

2. You develop deeper connections.

Counting our blessings helps us feel more grounded in the present moment, which is a skill we can also bring into our relationships. Being able to simply listen and connect with others without succumbing to internal or external distractions will strengthen these bonds and make them more nourishing for both parties, something Health Coaches and their clients truly value.

3. You have more love for yourself.

Being thankful about the life you have while also thinking negative thoughts about yourself rarely go together. Conscious gratitude helps you see that you are an incredible and fortunate person just as you are. Over time gratitude will lead you towards greater self-care, more positive thinking, and making decisions that lead to greater happiness.

4. More opportunities seem to come your way.

Gratitude is often accompanied by the expression of gratitude, a positive demeanor, and an optimistic outlook on life, which are qualities people gravitate towards and want to be around. This can result in personal or professional invitations that lead to new relationships, more likelihood of people saying yes when you ask for things, and more synchronicity of things coming together in unexpected and wonderful ways.

5. You are a magnet for abundance.

The simple law of gratitude is that the more you are thankful for what you have, the more you’ll have to be thankful for. It may seem a little mysterious at first but the truth is that abundance is all about perception. Feeling that you have what you need to be happy helps you relax and go with the flow of life, rather than being resistant to change and getting in your own way. Going with the flow means following your passion and intuition, and THAT usually leads you to exactly what you want or need, whether it’s having a certain income so you can finally own your own home, or simply being abundant in spirit and emotionally fulfilled.

What are some of the results that daily gratitude has had in your life? Please share in the comments below!