Thanksgiving is just around the corner, which means turkey, football, pumpkin everything, and family. It’s the perfect time to show gratitude in everyday life, work life included, and to see the abundant blessings that surround us. Whether reaching out to a distant family member or a a client that you haven’t heard from in a while, here is a quick list of ways to show gratitude and share the blessings this season:
- Just say the words. “Thank you”. Out loud. Like, a lot. And mean it. Yeah, it seems like an obvious gesture, but if you really make a conscious effort, and really feel it, it can have a positive affect on their day as well as yours.
- Compliment a stranger. It can be a simple as “I like your hair” or you can go right for the long overdue “good job” compliment.
- Send a handwritten “thank you” card to clients.
- Refill someone’s candy jar.
- Give a monetary gift to charity. {Ever heard of www.smile.amazon.com?}
- Make a phone call, with the sole intention of saying “thanks” and nothing more.
- Bring in donuts/bagels/breakfast for the entire office.
- Drop a gift card at a local cafe to pay for the next few orders.
- Distribute fun and functional gifts to employees – great way to avoid the uncomfortable “mushiness” of sentimental cards. Wha???
- Go through your closet and purge whatever you don’t use – shoes, coats, clothing, blankets, towels – and donate them to a homeless shelter. This goes for your promo and sample closet too!
- Invite clients and employees to a Happy Hour to mingle and show appreciation.
- Cater food into the office for a holiday lunch.
- Volunteer with a community project (city clean up, walking dogs at the local shelter, etc).
- Incorporate “Kudos Cards” in the office, where employees post anonymous cards of praise so that everyone can see.
- Leave a large tip with your server.
- Make homemade gifts for teachers at a local school.
- Listen.
- Post inspiring quotes around the office: on the fridge, on bathroom mirrors, on the front door, etc.
- Send gifts to clients: anything from a personalized pen to their favorite branded retail item.
- Distribute “gratitude journals”, filled with inspiring quotes and empty pages to encourage others to remember all of their personal reasons to be thankful.
Showing your gratitude can really boost others, but it can also have positive effects According to this article from PositivePsychology.com, research shows that gratitude can:
- Help you make friends. One study found that thanking a new acquaintance makes them more likely to seek a more lasting relationship with you.
- Improve your physical health. People who exhibit gratitude report fewer aches and pains, a general feeling of health, more regular exercise, and more frequent checkups with their doctor than those who don’t.
- Improve your psychological health. Grateful people enjoy higher well-being and happiness and suffer from reduced symptoms of depression.
- Enhance empathy and reduces aggression. Those who show their gratitude are less likely to seek revenge against others and more likely to behave in a prosocial manner, with sensitivity and empathy.
- Improve your sleep. Practicing gratitude regularly can help you sleep longer and better.
- Enhance your self-esteem. People who are grateful have increased self-esteem, partly due to their ability to appreciate other peoples’ accomplishments.
- Increase in mental strength. Grateful people have an advantage in overcoming trauma and enhanced resilience, helping them to bounce back from highly stressful situations.
Let us forever be humble, let us forever be grateful, and let us forever share blessings with others.
