Gratitude has a many benefits, most of which you’ve probably heard before. With all these benefits, it’s surprising how little respect gratitude gets throughout the year. Despite it’s value, most people only actively practice gratitude one month (November), one week (Thanksgiving week), or one day (Thanksgiving) each year. Is it time to up your gratitude skills? How does your current gratitude practice rank?
Novice: You give thanks on Thanksgiving, and don’t think about gratitude much the rest of the year.
Beginner: You participate in a yearly gratitude challenge and give thanks when someone does something nice.
Competent: You keep a gratitude journal or some other gratitude practice at least three times per week.
Proficient: You have an attitude of gratitude, making it a habit to express thankfulness and appreciation in your life on a daily basis.
Expert, aka Advanced Ninja Skills: You practice gratitude in action, giving and receiving gratitude daily.
Let’s face it, ninjas are bad ass. By practicing gratitude in action, you can be a badass ninja, too.
I’m going to assume you’re ready to give it a try since you’re still here, reading. Congratulations! Well, either you’ve decided to give it a try, or you’re still reading because you’re wondering what the heck I’m talking about. Either way, I’m glad you’re still here.
Let’s talk about gratitude in action. What does it mean to be “in action”? To practice gratitude in action means you embody gratitude on a physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual level. It’s more than a habit or routine—you are gratitude. When people meet you, they see, hear, and feel your gratitude. When you are offered gratitude, you receive it fully.
When you practice gratitude in action, life gets simpler, easier, and happier. Doesn’t that sound nice? Here’s how to try it for yourself.
Here are 6 ways to practice gratitude in action!
01. Open your heart
Practice opening your heart, allowing love, joy, and appreciation to flow freely to and from you. To open your heart, start by stretching your arms out wide, allowing your heart space to expand. You can make big helicopter circles with your arms, feeling the opening of your chest. Now bring your shoulders up towards your ears and roll your shoulders back and down, dropping your shoulders away from you ears. Take 3-5 deep breaths. As you breathe, imagine your heart opening and allowing gratitude to flow freely. Breathe in love, breathe out gratitude. With an open heart gratitude flows with joy and ease.
02. Show kindness
Kindness is the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. When you act in kindness, you also act in gratitude. It’s difficult to be kind without appreciation of yourself and others. Practice 52 random acts of kindness. Need more ideas? Here’s 33 ways to be kind to yourself, and 52 ways to be kind at work. The possibilities are endless!
03. Share gratitude
Don’t keep your gratitude to yourself—publicly sharing what you’re thankful for inspires you and the people around you! For years I’ve shared my daily gratitude on social media and people who follow me often comment that my gratitude inspires them to stop and think of something they are grateful for. When you share gratitude, it grows!
04. Walk with gratitude
Move with gratitude, experiencing thankfulness with your body and all five of your senses. Whatever activity you’re engaged in, notice what you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch. For example, if you’re out for a walk notice the small details you see in around you, such as a the colors, shapes, and textures of the grass, flowers, and trees. Notice the sounds you might otherwise tune out. Listen for the sounds of wildlife—the squirrel scurrying through the grass, the birds singing in the trees. What do you smell? What do you taste? Feel your feet making contact with the ground beneath you as you walk. Notice your connection to the world.
Be present to gratitude with your body, experiencing the wonders of your physical body and the world.
05. Be a witness
Witness the good in people and share your appreciation with them. This is different from saying “thank you”. Expressing witnessed appreciation is reflecting the good you see in those around you. You might say “you are thoughtful and kind” to the aunt who never forgets a birthday. Perhaps you say “you are radiant” to the friend who lights up a room with her smile. When you notice your usually quiet coworker make a smart suggestion in a meeting, you may privately share your appreciation by telling her, “you are intelligent and you have great ideas.”
Witnessing the beauty in people and sharing that appreciation is a powerful act of gratitude.
06. Receive appreciation
When someone gives you a gift, praise, or a compliment, how well do you receive it? Do you allow the appreciation to sink in, or do you deflect, justify, or minimize? When you graciously receive appreciation, you exude gratitude.
Many of us aren’t very skilled at receiving appreciation and it’s a great skill to practice. Fully receiving praise can lead to higher income, greater happiness, and increased trust in yourself!
Give one or more of these gratitude practices a try, and enjoy the benefits of your advanced ninja gratitude skills! 
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