If you live in the United States, “Happy Thanksgiving!” If not, this teaching will still be helpful.

Like many families, the next few days will be filled with family, friends, food, and thanks.

ThanksLiving is a lifestyle of thankfulness.

Thankfulness isn’t just for Thanksgiving. Thankfulness should be a part of every thriving Christian’s life. But for many of us, we get so caught up in all the details of life and forget to be thankful for all the blessings God has brought into our life.

No matter what situation you’re in, you can find something to be thankful for. We all know it’s true, but it’s easy to rush through the day forgetting to stop and be thankful.

Here is a simple recipe for building a life of ThanksLiving.

Greet the day with thankfulness.

I don’t know if you are the type of person that says “Good morning, Lord” or “Good Lord, it’s morning,” but beginning the day with thankfulness can be a great way to set your attitude for the day.

An easy way to bring thankfulness into your morning routine is to think of things you can be thankful for as you brush your teeth. The average person spends between 2 and 3 minutes brushing their teeth. Since this is a daily mindless activity, why not use it to review what you can be thankful for?

Giving thanks for 3 or 4 things will set your mind in the right direction and mark the beginning of a thankful day.

Thank God for More Than Your food

Before each meal, take a moment to be thankful. Many of us say a prayer before a meal, but take a moment to thank God for at least one specific thing as you pray. You can thank God for the food, the provision, even the ability to earn a living. If you are in a situation where you might be embarrassed to bow your head, just pause a moment before you eat and review God’s blessing. (You don’t even have to close your eyes.) Taking a moment before a meal to be thankful, will keep your heart joyful for all the great things God has done for you.

So for that’s four times throughout the day you can be thankful. Once while brushing your teeth and before each meal. Now it’s time to close out the day with thankfulness.

Close the Day with Thanksgiving and Praise

Many of us have the terrible habit of ending our day on social media or on our phone. Medical experts warn us of how staring at a screen affects the restfulness of our sleep. Why not as you close your eyes, and spend a few minutes giving thanks.

Others of us go to sleep with worry and fear. We review the day and remember what we did, what we should have done, or what we should have said. Sometimes we go through a list of all the hurts of the past and the worries of tomorrow. Tonight, when you close your eyes for sleep, instead of worrying about tomorrow, or reviewing all the things that you should have done, or what went wrong, take some time to be thankful. You will be amazed at how easy it is to fall asleep when you fill your mind with thankfulness instead of fear and worry.

“I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” – Psalm 34:1

So there you have it.

A simple plan to make thankfulness a part of your daily life. Why not begin this simple practice on Thanksgiving and go through the end of the year. You may be amazed at what effect thankfulness has on your attitude, your heart, and your life. The Psalmist said, “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” – Psalm 34:1 When we practice ThanksLiving, thankfulness and praise become a natural part of our life.

Let me know how it works in the comments below.