Today is Thanksgiving in the U.S. Like many other bloggers, I encourage everyone to take a few moments and consider what you’re grateful for. But I also urge you to take that feeling one step further.

As you’re thinking about the joys in your life, think too about how you can give someone else happiness. I think gratitude should not just be an emotion—it should be an action. Following are a few suggestions for ways to spread a little joy around the world.

• Read the Happiness Project blog and share it with anyone you know who could use a little more joy.
• Improve your vocabulary and donate Free Rice to hungry people around the world.
• Donate to One Laptop Per Child and also purchase an inexpensive laptop for a child you know through November 26.
• Practice Creative Ways to Help the Environment and encourage others to do the same.
• Find a new charity through Give.org.
• Stop your junkmail and save a tree.
• Donate to Doctors Without Borders, a group that provides medical care to people in third-world countries.
• Thank others for their impact on your life.
• Donate books or money to your local library.
• Start an appreciation journal. It will improve your outlook and let you spread your joy that much easier.

Gratitude is a flower. Pluck the petals and scatter them on the wind.

If you enjoyed this post, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed.