No matter how you say it: “Danke,” “Domo Arigato,” “Grazie,” “Obrigado,” “Merci,” “Gracias” or “Thank You,” January is the perfect time to express your gratitude all month long. And, to make things a little fun, I have a little challenge for us.
During November, I typically post on Facebook every day expressing my gratitude about one thing since we celebrate Thanksgiving here in the United States. Then I discovered that January is National Thank You Month. Although I will continue my annual November daily posts, in my opinion, National Thank You Month is a perfect opportunity to share our appreciation with someone specific every day this month.
There are many ways to show and/or express your appreciation: give a gift, pay it forward to your favorite charity, host a special appreciation dinner to honor those whom you wish to thank or my personal favorite… a hand-crafted expression of gratitude in the form of a thank you card.
A beautiful hand-crafted thank you card is my personal favorite because those mere 42 square inches of paper (give or take a few inches) represent more than a simple thank you. The time that you take to make or select a handmade AND hand-written thank you note also sends the message that the recipient is important to you; you’re acknowledging a person’s efforts and how they have impacted you; you are appreciating the recipient’s thoughtfulness; recognizing another person’s positive intent; and offering feedback on the impact of the recipient’s actions on your life. You are taking the time to connect with another person and acknowledging him/her as a person – a very meaningful type of validation. As a result, your card will most likely be cherished as keepsake for many years to come.
The Challenge:
Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to write and send (via snail mail) or hand deliver one hand-written (preferably hand-crafted) thank you note EVERYDAY during the month of January. Take a deep breath — let’s take this one day at a time!
If you haven’t done this yet, start by making a list of every gift you received this past Christmas and begin by saying thank you for your gifts.
If you’re up for the additional challenge of making your own thank you cards, this kit will make it easy! Or, schedule a workshop with your friends — just call me to get the details.
Up next, thank you list memory joggers…
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Estella Banks
Creativity Coach
Inspiring, Nurturing, Sharing Creativity
