Pump Up Your Gratitude Muscles - No Heavy Lifting Necessary

'Tis the season for giving thanks, so get those gratitude muscles ready for a workout. Don't worry, there's nothing strenuous about this workout. A little thankfulness goes a long way and just so happens to benefit your health in major ways. In the spirit of lowering your blood pressure, minimizing stress and depression, bumping up your overall motivation, and decreasing your risk for any number of diseases, I offer you these USA Today tips for pumping up your gratitude.

• Keep a gratitude journal, and list your gifts. Daily, weekly, or twice weekly -- do it when you can.
• List the names of people you take for granted, and think about what your life would be like without them.
• Write a letter of thanks to someone who made a difference in your life. Consider delivering and reading it in person.

Thanksgiving is for giving thanks -- yes -- but really, you should be practicing gratitude more than once a year. It's like exercising, says one professor of psychology. Use it, he says, and you won't lose it.