I was looking for a fun way to express thank you to people important in my life and came across National Thank You Month. January is a month for thank yous and gratitude toward others. I thought it would be fun to post a series about thankfulness and gratitude.
Here are some ways to participate in Thank You Month:
Send a thank you card or note to family, friends, a co-worker, someone in your community, or someone you are thankful to. A handwritten note is more powerful than an email or a text. I have kept notes from high school to present in a keepsake wood box and look them over from time to time.
When I had a difficult job, I enjoyed stopping at a local coffee place before work. The staff at the location had such a playful connection that watching them interact was a highlight of my morning. I thanked them each day and told the staff how they made me smile each morning on my way to work.
Bring dessert to work and leave a note saying you are thankful for your co-workers, or leave an anonymous note. Sometimes, we don't need the credit to do something that shows our colleagues we are thankful for them.
Pay the cup of coffee, toll, or tip for the person behind you in line.
Share something you are thankful for during dinner with your family or partner.
If you have kids, challenge them to thank someone in their life.
Start a gratitude journal or gratitude jar, where you write down something you are thankful for (daily or weekly) and put it in a journal or jar to review next year. Or search for a quote that inspires you and keep it on your desk. Early in my relationship with my partner, he gifted me a quote-of-the-day calendar to keep on my desk. I loved the daily quotes and the reminder of his gift to me.
Expressing thankfulness or gratitude has been shown to help with sleep, the immune system, mood (anxiety and depression), pain, and overall well-being.
Start your thank you today!