One of the best ways to shift your thinking from the positive to the negative is by feeling grateful. When you do this, you are likely to discover that you have countless blessings in your life—these could be your loving family and friends, your work, your good health, your talents or simply the remarkable natural beauty around you—which hitherto you may not have been aware of, or you may have simply taken them for granted.

A nightly practice of self-reflection when you review your day and give thanks for all your blessings before you go to bed, can also be very comforting. This can be a simple process of self-observation without any sort of analysis or criticism of the recollections of the day.

Simple, everyday things can give you immense joy, but you have to notice them first. Unfortunately, most of us tend to take the simple joys for granted and typically don’t pay attention to them, appreciate them or feel grateful for them. There is plenty of evidence from research studies that links gratitude to happiness, health, and stronger relationships. A 2011 study found that people were motivated and energized when they experienced gratitude, while a 2009 study discovered that gratitude led people to believe they deserved positive outcomes for themselves and could achieve them. In a 2003 study, participants who counted their blessings reported fewer physical symptoms of illness.

Make gratitude part of your daily life and experience a shift in your mood and overall outlook to life!