Make Gratitude Actions Part of Your Routine

How to Ensure You Have Gratitude ACTIONS in Your Life

We are now at the next to last day of November—RosieCentral’s Gratitude Month. As you know from my post yesterday, we’re using these last three days to examine:

Gratitude Feelings (yesterday)
Gratitude Actions (today), and
Gratitude Journaling (tomorrow).

Time for Action…

…Gratitude Actions, that is.

While I hope yesterday’s blog about the importance of receiving gratitude stays with you — even reshapes your ability and willingness to accept acts of gratitude from others — today I’m moving on to a more action oriented approach.

Why? In many ways, gratitude may seem rather passive. You think about what you are grateful for. You meditate about what is positive in your life. You ponder who you are grateful for. Etc. So I invite you to:

Get Active With These 8 Gratitude Prompts

Plan a lunch get together with friends during the coming month. Who to invite? Take time choosing — maybe two friends who have meant a lot to you and two new friends. Even better, ask each of your two friends to bring someone they know who you don’t know. This will create opportunities for conversation that ventures beyond what old-time friends talk about. New connections may be the result. It will give you a chance to express your gratitude for your friends.
Go on a walk with a friend. If it is autumn, pick up leaves along the way. Then when you part, give your friend a bouquet of leaves. Let the person know how much you appreciate her.
Alternatively, take a walk with a family member — even a child. Both of you can appreciate the beauty of the trees and express gratitude for what you see and even what you may hear of birds singing, or cawing.
Make a gratitude video. You can probably make a video on your phone — well, let it be a gratitude video. It’s a fun way to express your thanks.
Write a text message expressing your gratitude.
Send a card or even a personal note to someone who has helped you. Let her/him know how much that mattered to you.
Write a note to yourself stating your gratitude for a skill you have or the education you’ve been able to get or where you live or for others in your life. Make the note specific. Focus on just one of these aspects.
Leave a little note or drawing on your partner’s pillow. Use the note or drawing to express your gratitude and bring a smile to that person’s day.