Make your gratitude list, and check it twice.

Hands down, Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday and with good reason: food and family. Every year my family likes to go around the table and says one thing they're grateful for in the last year. We express gratitude for personal triumphs, professional gains, and everything in between. But with a large family, it might take ten minutes to get through everyone. Despite the fried turkey summoning our noses to attention, we take the time to celebrate gratitude as a family.

But don't wait for Thanksgiving to show gratitude. I started practicing it daily about five years ago, and I'd write at least three things in the morning and evening that I was grateful for. Sometimes they were tiny, minuscule things, and other things, they were lofty and bold.

Sometimes my gratitude was for something that had happened, but I often used gratitude for something that had yet to happen. For example, I may have said; I'm grateful that my presentation at work today goes well, or I am grateful for finding the perfect job to suit me and my family's needs. You'd be surprised how many times I wrote a "future" gratitude, only to review my list sometime later and realize a lot of the things I showed gratitude for before they showed up eventually did become my reality.

Gratitude is powerful in that way; when we use it with genuine intention, it can do wonders to improve our lives. It doesn't cost a thing to show gratitude, but the reward is priceless.

Still not convinced, here are six scientifically-proven benefits of gratitude:

1. Gratitude can improve your relationships. According to Psychology Today, "not only does saying "thank you" constitute good manners, but showing appreciation can help you win new friends." A study published by Emotion in 2014 found that thanking a new acquaintance makes them more likely to seek an ongoing relationship.

2. Believe it or not, but gratitude can improve your physical health. According to a 2012 study published in Personality and Individual Differences, grateful people experience fewer aches and pains and report feeling healthier than other people. Grateful people are also more likely to take better care of their health, and they exercise more often and are more likely to attend regular check-ups, which will contribute to their longevity.

3. Gratitude is good for mental health. It can reduce a multitude of toxic emotions, from envy and resentment to frustration and regret. Robert Emmons, is a leading gratitude researcher, and multiple of his studies confirm a link between gratitude and well-being. Gratitude effectively increases happiness and reduces depression.

4. Showing and expressing gratitude exchanges our ability to show empathy and reduces aggression. Grateful people are more likely to behave in a pro-social manner, even when others behave less kindly, according to a 2012 study by the University of Kentucky.

5. Gratitude can increase our mental strength. For years, research has shown gratitude not only reduces stress, but it may also play a pivotal role in overcoming trauma. A study published in Behavior Research and Therapy found that Vietnam vets with higher levels of gratitude experienced lower rates of post-traumatic stress disorder.

6. A 2003 study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that gratitude fosters resilience in stressful and traumatic circumstances.

So, now that you know why you should start a daily gratitude practice and it's benefits, dive in head first. You can buy a journal to write day your list, say them out loud in the mirror each day, spend 5-10 minutes actively visualizing your gratitude or place them on post-its around your house, car, or office.

Looking for a more guided daily practice, check out the Woke & Healthy™ Wellness Bundle for Magic Mornings Journal to start each day off right with gratitude, action steps, healthy eating options, movement, and more.