How to Practice Gratitude.

Study after study shows that people who give time, donate money or simply help others are healthier and live more fulfilled lives. Here are some things you can do.

1.) Volunteer. Volunteer your time, skills and expertise. Volunteering helps, you build and sustain your community, which in turn will give back to you. It's a win-win situation. People volunteer to contribute their skills and knowledge however it's practically guaranteed that you'll walk away with more knowledge and skills than you had beforehand. There is little else in life that offers the same level of satisfaction like watching your hard earned efforts benefit someone in need. Volunteering also offers you new interests, new experiences, new people, and authenticity and credibility in your industry.

2.) Donate funds. What's your favorite cause or charity - something that's important to you, your family or your friends? Perhaps it is the American Cancer Society, the Humane Society, or the Nature Conservancy. These organizations thrive on two things: Volunteers and Donations. If you have causes, passions and charities which are near and dear to your heart, it's important to do what you can to keep them in the black, financially solvent, and able to continue to provide their services.

3.) Mentor. Mentoring is an exceptional way to share your knowledge and experience with others and give back to the world. Mentoring is when you meet with someone one-on-one and help them learn and grow. A mentee can be a child or young adult struggling with choices, a professional who is interested in growing their career, or a person interested in starting a business similar to yours. A mentor/mentee relationship is essentially, however you define it.

If history and experience have taught us anything it's that the more you give, the more you receive. When you take the time to give back to the world with the intention of improving the lives of others, the essential result is that you end up receiving so much more than you can possibly imagine. Give it a try. You'll be amazed what happens in your life.