Whether or not we love our job, boss, commute, pay or team, there are several good reasons to practice gratitude at work. Here are simple ways to flex those appreciation muscles and start enjoying the healthy benefits.

The icing on the cake

According to a wide variety of research, practicing gratitude can make us happier and healthier. It can improve our sleep, self-esteem and overall well-being. It can also result in more people liking us, better relationships and more success at work.

So, why aren't we all doing it?

Because being grateful is not necessarily easy — and it does require practice. Plus, it can be particularly challenging to embrace gratitude when it comes to our jobs, co-workers, salary, commute or long-hours. So, how do we go about practicing gratitude it at work?

If it weren’t for ...

It helps to start small. What is it that saves even the worst day at work? In the most challenging environments, there may still be a co-worker who shares our misery a barista who adds extra whipped cream on our afternoon mocha or a running joke that pops up at just the right time.

By finding at least one thing to appreciate, we can improve our mood. But by expressing that gratitude to the person responsible, we can positively change our perspective and provide a boost to the person we are thanking.

The Oscar goes to ...

Award shows are known for the breadth and depth of some of the acceptance speeches, but it makes sense. They are professionals being recognized for a significant accomplishment. How different is that from earning a promotion, raise or other recognition of our professional success?

The next time we receive a reward for our work, why not take the time to thank everyone who had anything to do with it?

We are not limited to 45 seconds and are usually not surprised by the announcement in front of a room full of people. Thus, we have time to think about who we want to thank and construct an articulate and appropriate way to do it. What is stopping us?

The bottom line: We all know that practicing gratitude can have amazing benefits. And while it may be awkward or even difficult to start being more grateful at work, with practice it will become easier.

So, whether we have been recently promoted or are struggling to find something good about our day, by looking for even the smallest ways to be grateful we can improve our mood, change our perspective, and positively impact the people around us all while strengthening our gratitude skills.