Want to start New Year on the right foot? Try gratitude

This new year, instead of picking up a habit that requires a fancy gym membership or new running shoes, what if you choose one that doesn't cost anything at all?

- Miriam Fauzia, Tribune News Service

Most of us show gratitude in passing, like when a barista hands over our coffee or a coworker does a small kindness. But what we may not know is how doing so affects our well-being and relationships. “One thing that intrigues me about gratitude is we often think we are doing it for others, to make others feel good," said Farnoosh Nouri, a clinical assistant professor of counselling at Southern Methodist University. “In reality, what it does to our body, to our immune system, to our cardiovascular health is incredible.”

Bringing gratitude into focus comes at a time when more than 6 in 10 adults in the United States say societal division is a significant source of stress in their lives. And half or more of adults say they feel isolated and left out or lack companionship often or some of the time. Here's what research suggests about gratitude — and practical ways to incorporate it in your life.