Sending Gratitude, Writing Letters

I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. – 1 Corinthians 1:4

How do you start the week off on a good foot?  If Monday went sideways can you have a restart on Tuesday?

Each Tuesday morning a friend of mine would start his day at office by writing three thank you notes.  He would sift through the memories of the prior week looking for someone to thank.  Once his mind was oriented to the task it did not take him long to discover individuals who had brought light to the world.

Sometimes the cause for gratitude was a significant gift of time or resources.  Sometimes it was a simple smile that altered the course of a day.  Whether the notes were addressed to old friends or new acquaintances, the letters always delivered.

A published study in June 2018 revealed that people often miscalculate the power of a heartfelt thank-you note.  Researcher Dr. Amit Kumar asked participants to write a short thank you note for someone in their life.  Participants then predicted how surprised, happy, and awkward the recipients would feel.  Once the notes were received the recipients shared how the letter made them feel.

The study revealed that senders greatly overestimated feelings of awkwardness and greatly underestimated the power of their note.  The study discovered, that the recipients “were ‘ecstatic,’ scoring the happiness rating at 4 of 5. The senders typically guessed they’d evoke a 3.”

Invest a few minutes (10?) to write three thank you notes to people in your life.  It may feel awkward at first but the blessing you will create will be more than worth it.

Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts. — Henri Frederic Amiel