I’ve always considered myself to be a grateful person. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been grateful for my family, especially my two sons. I am grateful for the career and social opportunities that I have had – especially when I consider the fact that previous generations of women were denied them.

All that said, it has only been very recently that I have truly come to appreciate life, in a more abstract sense. I used to appreciate people, places and things. Now I appreciate every sunrise.

Are You Getting More Grateful with Age?

Maybe this is just a function of getting older. Many women in the community have told me that they feel the same way. They told me that life is taking on more color and purpose the older they get. How do you feel about gratitude?

This reminds me of a quote, by Meryl Streep, who said, “You have to embrace getting older. LIFE is precious and, when you have lost a lot of people, you realize that each day is a gift.”

Can We Make Ourselves Into More Grateful People?

Of course, gratitude is not just something that happens to you. You have to actively work on finding it every day.

Every morning, while I am in the shower, I think about all of the people around the world who do not have access to clean water, let alone a shower.

During the day, I go out of my way to tell the people in my life how grateful I am for their support and love.

In the evening, I write in my gratitude diary. This helps me to fall asleep with a smile on my face and to forget the small issues that work their way into every day.

I’d love to hear about what you do to bring gratitude into your own life.

What are you grateful for? Do you agree that gratitude is something that needs to be cultivated? What do you think about Meryl Streep’s perspective on aging? Please join the conversation.