This month, your Facebook home feed is probably speckled with people expressing gratitude. Many folks post a note of thanks each day throughout the month of November; others offer special appreciation as we approach the Thanksgiving holiday. I love all the reminders for gratitude, especially for the small joys.
This reminds me of an experiment I did a couple years ago. Inspired in part by the book 29 Gifts by Cami Walker, I decided to embark on a month of gratitude. My goal: to send one handwritten thank-you card every day for an entire month.
In order to make this do-able, I set a few guidelines for myself, such as allowing each card to include just 3 sentences. I had a stack of thank-you cards and stamped envelopes at the ready. And I decided that rather than make a list (my typical nature) of people to thank, I would simply write to whomever popped into my mind on any given day.
What a life-changing experiment!
Some days I thanked people who had sent gifts, cards, or emails that touched me. I thanked family members for their important roles in my life. I thanked former teachers, service workers, clients, volunteers, people involved in my kids’ growth… Not surprisingly, I never ran out of people to thank.
While I didn’t expect to hear back from people, I must admit I was humbled by responses I received. A former English teacher whom I thanked for encouraging my writing (and with whom I hadn’t talked in 20 years) sent a beautiful email thanking me for my thank-you (!) and updating me on his life.
A college friend said my note came at the perfect time – she was having “one of those days” and so appreciated the boost.
Another recipient said she intended to continue the cycle of gratitude by sending a note of thanks to a basketball coach who had made a difference in her life.
At the close of that month, I felt truly uplifted. And since most recipients did not respond, I concluded that joy truly does come from the act of giving – not receiving.
I have since tried to make quick, handwritten thank-you notes part of my weekly routine. It takes so little time (especially with the 3-sentence rule!) and brightens up my week, and hopefully brings a smile to someone else’s face, too.
In today’s Clarity Kickstart email, I suggest writing one thank-you this week. Maybe to someone not expecting it, or even an anonymous message of thanks to someone who has positively impacted your life. You’ll feel the benefits as soon as you put pen to paper, and your recipient will glow. It’s truly win-win! 🙂
As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.
~John F. Kennedy