November is the national month of gratitude. We celebrate Thanksgiving by gathering our friends and families around the dinner table and enjoying a delicious hot meal. It is the time of the year we all are a little more conscious of what we are grateful for. But what if we practiced this gratefulness every day?

By definition, gratitude is the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. Being grateful for what we have rather than what we lack is a choice we can make every day. It is scientifically proven that practicing the "attitude of gratitude" reduces stress, makes you feel excellent, positively affects your relationships, and helps you get a good night's sleep. 

Some easy ways to incorporate gratefulness are:

• Journaling: you can write about your past and what experiences you have had that you are grateful for. You can journal about the present; what is currently happening in your life that you are happy for? Lastly, you can journal about the hopeful experiences you would like to come your way.
• Meditation: Be intentional; take a few minutes each morning or every night before bed to sit and reflect on your life and what you are grateful for. 
• Positive affirmations: Some say it takes 21 days to form a habit (or break one). Listen to positive affirmations every morning while having your coffee, getting lunchboxes ready for your children to go to school, or getting ready for work. It will give you the positive attitude boost you need to start your day on the right foot.
• Daily gratitude list: Keep a notebook on your bedside. Every night go through your day and write down all the positive things that happened. It can be a quiet cup of coffee in the morning, a new job opportunity, health, children, family, friends that are family, etc. If you come home too tired from work, recite the list mentally with the emotion of gratitude. 

It may not come naturally to have the feeling of gratitude when our lives are not going as well as we hoped for in times of strife or struggle. However, gratitude is something we can cultivate through intentional practice. I want gratitude to be a part of who I am, a part of my daily life, rather than something that I practice one month out of the year or when life is going "good." 

One inspirational recommendation is to watch this TED talk, "365 Days of Thank You," and read "The Magic." 

And on behalf of the Almara Beauty team, who is always grateful for all our supporters for trusting us and our products, our friends, and our family- Happy Thanksgiving!

Ps: Stay tuned for our fabulous black Friday deals coming soon!