I like hearing the words "thank you." Don't you? Those two words make me feel good.
And yet, those two words bring back a hurtful memory.
Many years ago, I took vacation leave from my job and drove 75 miles to take care of a relative recovering from surgery. It was my pleasure and honor to care for him. But, when it was time for me to travel home, I never heard I'm glad you came, you were helpful, thank you for being here. Maybe he felt that I was obligated to help out. Or maybe, he didn't feel well and just forgot to thank me.
On a more upbeat note, a fellow writer and protégé has kept in touch with me for over ten years. He writes to tell me of his rejections, acceptances, and goals. In all of his emails he expresses thankfulness for the help I had given him in the past and for the help I still give him. And this means the world to me.
I never fail to notice gratitude. My husband thanks me after every meal. Even if it's just spaghetti and meatballs. Even if it's leftovers. He doesn't have to, but he does.
Our daughter is grateful. She thanks us when she gets a surprise package at college. She always writes thank you notes to relatives for birthday presents.
My cat Ozzie expresses gratitude. After he's been fed, of course. Ozzie shows his appreciation by rubbing his lips across my hand and marking me with his scent, telling me that I'm his.
I like to express gratitude, too and writing has given me many opportunities to be thankful—when someone critiques my work, when somebody submits to Kid's Imagination Train, when a writer asks me to guest blog, when an editor publishes my work, and the list goes on.
When people do something nice for me, I like to write a thank you note, send flowers, or bring them something sweet to eat. And after being published, I found there are a lot of people deserving of a thank you:
- My publisher
- My agent
- Reviewers
- Fans who came to the book signing
- Shop owners who placed a book order
- Bloggers who promoted my book
- People who ordered my book
- Editors that accepted an article I had written on publishing a book
- Bookstore managers and book sellers
- My book launch team
- Business people who helped me market my book
- Media specialists who booked a school visit
Gratitude is easy to do and it can transform your life.
Amy Morin, psychotherapist and author states that gratitude has been proven to open doors to more relationships and can improve physical and psychological health, enhance empathy, reduce aggression, improve sleep, and increase self-esteem. She believes we can cultivate gratitude. Rather than complain about the things you think you deserve, focus on all that you have.
Grateful people have been found to be blessed with more happiness.
As reported by Robin S. Stern, Associate Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and Robert A Emmons, Ph.D. Dept. of Psychology, University of California for the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, "Grateful people experience more joy, love, and enthusiasm, and they enjoy protection from destructive emotions like envy, greed, and bitterness. Gratitude also reduces lifetime risk for depression, anxiety, and substance abuse disorders, and it helps people entangled with those and other problems to heal and find closure. It can give you a deep and steadfast trust that goodness exists, even in the face of uncertainty or suffering gratitude to mental health and life satisfaction."
Stern and Emmons said it perfectly, "Gratitude isn’t just an emotion that happens along, but a virtue we can cultivate. Think of it as something you practice as you might meditation or yoga. Gratitude practice begins by paying attention. Notice all the good things you normally take for granted."
When you practice gratitude, it can inspire people to acts of kindness. It has the power to strengthen bonds with other people.
There are countless ways to say thank you. All you have to do is to take note when someone is kind and express thankfulness. No one gets tired of those two little words.
Amy Morin, psychotherapist and author states that gratitude has been proven to open doors to more relationships and can improve physical and psychological health, enhance empathy, reduce aggression, improve sleep, and increase self-esteem. She believes we can cultivate gratitude. Rather than complain about the things you think you deserve, focus on all that you have.
Grateful people have been found to be blessed with more happiness.
As reported by Robin S. Stern, Associate Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and Robert A Emmons, Ph.D. Dept. of Psychology, University of California for the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, "Grateful people experience more joy, love, and enthusiasm, and they enjoy protection from destructive emotions like envy, greed, and bitterness. Gratitude also reduces lifetime risk for depression, anxiety, and substance abuse disorders, and it helps people entangled with those and other problems to heal and find closure. It can give you a deep and steadfast trust that goodness exists, even in the face of uncertainty or suffering gratitude to mental health and life satisfaction."
Stern and Emmons said it perfectly, "Gratitude isn’t just an emotion that happens along, but a virtue we can cultivate. Think of it as something you practice as you might meditation or yoga. Gratitude practice begins by paying attention. Notice all the good things you normally take for granted."
When you practice gratitude, it can inspire people to acts of kindness. It has the power to strengthen bonds with other people.
There are countless ways to say thank you. All you have to do is to take note when someone is kind and express thankfulness. No one gets tired of those two little words.
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