Have you ever noticed that sometimes it’s hard to feel grateful just by “feeling” that way or “thinking” that way? Sometimes you need a little jumpstart—maybe it’s by talking to your friends about what you’re grateful for or maybe it’s by making your gratitude tangible. Check out what this Good Clean Love Daily reader does to make her blessings tangible and then try it out for yourself!

“I just wanted to share with you how I keep tabs on what I am grateful for in my life: I count my blessings! When I am having a rough go about, I escape somewhere quiet and count them by drawing hearts for each one! Soon I lose track of what I counted and/or run out of space for hearts without moving and THAT is the perspective I need to get centered again. I live near the beach (another thing I am grateful for), but I am sure it works just as well in the garden or the woods.

I learned this from my three year old, believe it or not. We went to the beach one day and she bent down, put both of her fingers together and drew a heart for me by drawing both sides of the heart at the same time with both hands. I had always only drawn them the way we were taught in school: with one finger on one hand as though you were using a writing instrument, but to engage your whole self in the act is completely different.

Hearts + sand = nothing impressive photographically but a very fun active meditation.”

Thanks Shell! How do you count your blessings?

Enter the Summer of Gratitude contest by writing to daily@goodcleanlove.com with what makes you grateful or what helps you stay grateful. How has gratitude affected your daily life? We want to hear!