Jennifer Moss, a cofounder of Plasticity Labs, a tech company that makes happiness-boosting organizational software, says gratitude is key to a happier, higher-performing life. Here's what she says you should do.

1. Do simple things—all the time
"[Gratitude] is a habit that you build," says Moss. "The best way to do that is to start practising it daily." Try saying thank you and smiling more often, which Moss insists can be life-changing.

2. Talk about the day with your family
Knowing that you have to report the day's highlights to loved ones will prompt you to focus on the positive, says Moss. You'll pay more attention to the good things—and less to the bad.

3. Write it down
Not everyone is into gratitude journals. But we absorb information better when we use multiple modes of learning, says Moss, so write down what you're thankful for in addition to verbalizing it. Bonus: Morning logging can increase productivity, while nighttime logging can help you sleep better.  

4. Take it public
Tell your social media followers why you're grateful, or start a communal gratefulness board at work. "There's this knock-on effect of people replying and sharing what they're grateful for, and it becomes a deeper experience inside the brain," says Moss.

5. Perform random acts of kindness
"When we are myopic, inward-facing and more selfish, we tend to miss how good our lives are," says Moss. But when we look outward at what we can do for others, "it refocuses our gaze." In other words, buying a coffee for the stranger waiting behind you in line can make you feel grateful.

Read more:
How practicing gratitude changed a skeptic's perspective
How to teach your kids to be more grateful
The Book of Awesome writer Neil Pasricha on what it takes to be happy