Life is a miracle and can be taken away in a moment's notice. Regardless of your spiritual beliefs, there are many ways you can show your appreciation for your life and move forward with grace on a daily basis.

5 Ways to Express Your Gratitude

I begin each and every day with Gratitude and it has made a tremendous difference in my life and my outlook on life. And things have been exquisitely challenging this past year for me and my family by some standards. We all have personal choice as to where we focus our attention, however, and I prefer to choose gratitude and peace. My most important value is life; I honor that with gratitude.

Sometimes showing gratitude can be as simple as saying, "thanks, I really appreciate you." Other times you may want to express your gratitude by helping others, or "paying it forward." After all, you'll never know how a simple, kind gesture will affect someone's day. Here's a note I received recently:

"...I received your card when I was at the lowest of my lows, Laura. I was so depressed that I thought, seriously, that there was no reason to go on. Just knowing that someone else cares made a huge difference to me. I cannot thank you enough for reaching out to me like you did. I believe you helped save my life ... Ann."

How many times have you had an inclination to reach out to someone and yet did not for whatever reason?

When You Need a Wake Up Call

Sometimes it's all too easy to engage in a poverty mentality and forget to give thanks for our gift of life. Likewise, focusing on material possessions (or the lack thereof)-- rather than on the very fact that we're living and breathing-- tends to make us forgetful of the greater gifts. My brother Stephen is a nurse who specializes in trauma cases and in emergency room nursing. He sees, firsthand, how lives can change in an instant and has been the last person someone has seen before they have died on numerous occasions. What a profound change I have seen in him. Spending a few hours a week volunteering at a hospital, nursing home, or soup kitchen can be of enormous benefit when you are feeling that life has given you less than your fair share.

So, begin now and remember, also, that giving is receiving. When you give of yourself - either with your time, tithing, a smile or another kind gesture - you are making a difference in the world, one person at a time.

Here are some ideas to help you appreciate life while also helping others:

1. Get in touch with your extended family and friends. Send them cards when they least expect it. Or how about a party to reconnect with the people you care most about?

2. Reflect about your childhood and ancestors. Write a poem, essay, or short story about your life. What sacrifices did your parents make for you? What struggles did the family endure? How is your life better or easier than that of your great-grandparents? How did these events make you the person you are today? My Grandmothers were both amazing women and when I think about how challenging things are for me, I reflect on what they survived.

3. Meditate, pray, or attend services at your place of worship. Find a quiet place, even if it's for just a few moments, to give thanks and reflect on all that's good, whether it's health, family, or home. Take a moment on a daily basis and simply say "thank you" to your Creator.

4. Reconnect with your spouse and children. Turn off the television and spend some quality viewed by someone in a household for a total of nearly 8 hours per day! Whether it's a surprise getaway or a family game night, renewing your relationships with your family will strengthen your bond and bring you closer together.

5. Keep a gratitude journal. Write down all the things you're grateful for in your life and reflect on all that is good. Even the simplest things - such as finding a parking space at the mall or locating your missing keys - are times to be grateful!