It will make you feel as good as people receiving your gratitude
Please note: This post contains affiliate links
As a Brazilian, I embraced the Thanksgiving tradition when I moved to the US. On my first Thanksgiving celebrating with friends and later, with family, I expected that during dinner everyone would share what they were grateful for and I would even prepare something say. Then I notice that people share mostly 'Happy Thanksgiving' and some vague 'thank you'.
One of my resolutions for 2019 was giving handwritten thank you notes for people who helped me with big or small things. I confess I sent less notes than what I had targeted in my goal spreadsheet. Although the response has always been beyond my expectations. I've seen faces of assistants and executives, family members and acquaintance lit up on surprise when receiving the card, as if I was handing them an expensive gift.
During this Thanksgiving week, I'll give thanks to everyone who has somehow helped me on my work and life. I am as busy as you are, so my goal is to send most of thank you notes over email. I'll focus on one specific story and I'll keep it short as I am prioritizing reach over message depth. I invite you to do the same. Here is why:
1 - People deserve recognition: if they went that extra mile to help you during a work project, to provide advice on an important decision or to just listen when you needed to vent out about concerns or frustrations. We usually don't thank enough those around us even the closest ones. We are usually better at sharing positive things about someone special on social media (like pictures and long messages on birthdays or nice work recommendations) than sending a message direct thanking the person.
2 - You'll feel great about it: giving to others makes you happier and this is proven by various research. You can give money, your time, advice, attention, recognition, a good thought. Every time I give thanks to someone, I feel as good as the person receiving the compliment even if they didn't express their gratitude.
3 - New traditions brings positive impact to life: we are divas and we like positive change, specially when creating new trends. What was the last time you changed your routine? For me, it was becoming vegetarian last year and the results have been great in different areas of my life. It's still time for a change in 2019. I wish the habit to give thanks to others extrapolates beyond Thanksgiving week and generates a positive gratitude cycle.
Ready to join me on this quest to show gratitude to everyone that made an impact in your life this year? I want to hear how this new tradition made you and others around you feel, and how was your Thanksgiving 2019! Leave your comment here or on Facebook