Giving thanks can be a challenge. It's easy to miss the little things when our lives are going at Mach 2. Here are 10 tips for making this Thanksgiving season a time of gratitude.

1. First thing in the morning, thank your lucky stars that you have another day to live. Then tell yourself you're going to get the most you can out of it.

2. If you're fortunate enough to have someone next to you when you wake up in the morning, give your partner a warm embrace and say, "I'm grateful to be with you."

3. Before you leave the house, if you're fortuitous enough to have a family, thank them for loving you. Tell them they are the lights of your life and they can accomplish whatever they want to do.

4. If life has blessed you with a job, when you get there, thank your co-workers for their support and tell them that you enjoy working with them. Then brainstorm about how to make the work environment the best it can be.

5. Find someone at work who is doing a particularly good job and personally thank this person by saying how much you appreciate his or her efforts.

6. Go to your favorite restaurant for lunch and thank your favorite server and the manager by telling them how much you like the food and the way they take care of you. It's also nice to leave a big tip if you are so inclined.

7. When you get back to work, call your sweetheart and say you're looking forward to being together again soon and thank him or her for being in your life. If you can't call, send an e-mail or text message.

8. After you leave the office, if you run an errand and someone helps you in some way, say thank you, even if this person was only doing his or her job. Later, when you hit the road, let people into traffic.

9. When you get home, ask your family or friends if they know someone who may not have a place to go for Thanksgiving dinner, and then invite this person to share the holiday with you.

10. Before you go to sleep, re-evaluate the day, not by how much you accomplished but by how you were able to make others feel good just by being your best self.

Thanksgiving is not just about one day; it's about appreciating all that life has given you. Even if your current circumstances are not the best right now, being grateful for where you are at the moment is the first step in getting to where you'd like to be.

— Dr. Barton Goldsmith, marriage and family therapist, can be reached at 818-879-9996 or via e-mail at Barton@BartonGoldsmith.com. He has lived and practiced in Westlake Village for more than a decade. Hear him live on KCLU Radio, 88.3 FM, from 2 to 3 p.m. Mondays.