There are so many reasons to express gratitude. Whether you are showing your appreciation for a specific gesture or counting your blessings for all the good in your life, being thankful is a beautiful way to return kindness and spread the gift of love.
Saying thank you doesn’t have to be expensive or involve grand, sweeping gestures. In fact, some of the best gift ideas are the simplest ones. When you have gratitude in your heart, try expressing it in one of these ways:
Give the ultimate gift of love: YOU
Donating your time to charity is the ultimate gift of gratitude because it means sacrificing the only finite resource you have: time. Whether you choose to volunteer at a local soup kitchen, pack meals for hungry families around the world, or offer your services to a friend or neighbor in need, you will help others while reaping the unintended benefit of feeling good about your acts of compassion.
Spread words of joy at work
Make it your MO to be exceptionally generous with praise. Something as simple as a, “thank you,” to someone who holds the door open for you, a passing compliment on your co-worker’s chic new haircut, or a kudo to a team member for a job well done can go a long way toward lifting spirits and promoting a positive work environment. Even during challenging times, do your part to cut the tension by fostering a workplace where people lift one another up.
Practice gratitude journaling
Our outer dialogue mirrors our internal self-speak. When you feel gratitude in your heart, you may be more inclined to express your appreciation to others. For some, writing down the many reasons they have to be thankful for all they have in their life helps them to reduce stress, attract more positivity in their life, and even improve sleep.
Put others first
When we focus on others, we can put our own agendas to the side and look for ways we can brighten others’ days, even if we don’t know them. Simple acts such as letting a merging car go ahead of you or allowing a shopper to step in line in front of you may make their day and could even reduce your stress if you would normally jockey for first position in line.
Write thank you notes
Everyone appreciates a handwritten note of appreciation—sadly, a seemingly dying art. Don’t mistake a text as a comparable replacement. It isn’t. Take the time to write down your thoughts, even if your handwriting is dreadful, detailing exactly why you appreciate others in your life. And to keep it from becoming one of those nice things you mean to do, keep a stash of blank note cards close at hand so whenever the thought of “I really should thank so-and-so….” enters your mind, you can turn your thoughts into action.
If you are looking for unique gift ideas to express your gratitude but writing thank you notes is outside of your comfort zone, consider giving thoughtful thank you gifts in a jar. KindNotes is a fully customizable jar of notes of gratitude that your recipient can open each day or anytime they need a pick-me-up.
Saying thank you is a gesture that just might turn someone else’s day around. When you make it a habit to look for reasons to express your gratitude, guess what, you will keep finding them. And the more gratitude you have in your heart, the more you will have to share with others.
