Gratitude tokens are a great tool for bring more positivity into your life. There is a lot of research connecting gratitude with happiness, optimism, and even a boost in immunity.

Here are some ways you can use your gratitude tokens.

  1. Give them to a friend or stranger who made your day more special. Did the barista make your coffee EXACTLY the way you like it? Was the server nice even though in hindsight you were a little rude (because you were hangry and having a bad day)? Thank them and give them a token. And don’t forget their tip!
  2. Improve morale and productivity at work by recognizing team players. When I worked in an office everyone was quick to point out what you can do better. But I rarely heard people mention the things that were going well. It really should be the opposite. Thank people for good attitude, going above and beyond, being a team player, or simply being pleasant and fun to work with.
  3. Teach gratitude by giving your children coins to hand out to others. Hand several tokens to your child and go out for errands. Look for opportunities to say thank you to someone. Point out the nice things people do and see if your child volunteers to give it away. You may learn something about your child.
  4. Use in a kindness activity with your students, scout troops, or club. With more and more stories of school bullying and shooting, let’s remember to be kind to one another. If you’re a teacher, perhaps pass them out as a class assignment. How did the student feel about receiving a token? How did they feel about giving one away? Was it hard to give it away? Would they do it again?
  5. Thank members in your volunteer or social groups. Use them with Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Meetup groups, knitting groups, mom groups, and more! Hand out a token at the beginning of each meeting to call out a member and something special they did.
  6. Pass them out at Thanksgiving for those who have done kind deeds. This Thanksgiving, consider handing out a token to each family member at your next meal as you mention something kind that they did recently.
  7. Give a token to someone who has helped you in the past. Write a letter and give it to that person along with the token. Never too late to say thank you.
  8. Let it be a reminder to look for things to be grateful about. Keep it in your wallet, purse, your nightstand, or any place where you will see it often. Did someone open the door for you at the store? Did someone pick up something off the floor for you? Take a moment every night to think of a few things you are most grateful for that day.

Just like a muscle, the more frequently you exercise these gratitude muscles, you’ll start to become more easily aware of just how much goodness you are surrounded by.

What are other ways you’ve used your Gratitude Token?