I am so grateful for all the countless blessings that I find scattered throughout my life. But sometimes (ok let’s be honest – most of the time), I forget about these blessings and focus on the small negative things. I’m so lucky to be surrounded by people who love and care about me, and today, I want to show appreciation for all of them and all the amazing things they do to make me feel good inside. Keep reading to find some great ideas for how YOU can show appreciation towards the people who care about YOU.
But why should I, isn’t just saying “thanks” enough? Well, you’re right to some extent. Saying thanks defintitely shows that you are grateful, but it doesn’t really show how grateful you are. It is just a word that is thrown around far too often as a phrase of decency rather than gratitude. It’s almost thrown around as much as “sorry”. People these days say sorry far too often than they truly need to. They say sorry for little accidents that aren’t even their fault just so they seem more respectful and kind. But today, let’s not turn the word “thanks” into that, and instead try and be more thoughtful with it’s usage.
Anyways, listed below are some ways to SHOW thanks rather than TELL. Because in this ever-changing world – the act of showing is a million times more effective than telling.
- Write a personalized HAND-WRITTEN note
If you are truly grateful for someone and what they have done for you, then one of the best ways you can express it is through a heartfelt note. It doesn’t have to be super long and detailed, but it can truly mean a lot of you choose the right words and phrase them right. Choosing to write it by hand shows that you care enough to spend the time to sit down and express your gratitude – rather than just buying a card from Dollarama. Imagine if someone did that for you – I bet your day would be 100x better just because of a little slip of paper. So if you’re eager to express your thanks to someone who has made your life better, this is one of the best ways to go!
2. PUBLICLY acknowledge them
Almost everyone loves to look their best (both physically and character wise) in a crowd, and what better way to help them achieve this goal than by publicly expressing your gratitude. It doesn’t have to be expansive (or else the other person may feel a little embarrassed). For example, if your classmate explained a super hard math question to you, when they are standing in the hall with their friends, maybe just a little, “Hey thanks for helping me out yesterday!” could make them feel both acknowledged and just a little bit better about themselves.
3. Offer to HELP them out
One of the best ways to express gratitude towards anyone is to repay them for it. Now I’m not saying this is a rule you must follow, but it can be a great method of showing appreciation. Let’s say your neighbor shovelled the snow off your driveway a couple of days ago, and now all the snow has come back. A great way to say thanks, (other than literally going up to them and saying thanks) would be to shovel their driveway today.
4. GIVE them a small gift
As a token of appreciation, you should consider giving them a gift. It doesn’t have to be super expansive or fancy because it’s the thought that counts (but it should still be decent you know). For example, if your friend has been dying to try out a new cafe, you could offer to go together and pay for the experience. Sometimes, rather than objects (I’ve realized this more as I’ve grown older), experiences can truly mean a lot more.
5. TELL them
Ok I know I wasn’t going to emphasize this way of saying thanks, but if used effectively, it can truly make a difference. So many times gratitude goes unrecognised when the person who has helped you out truly deserves at least a little bit of acknowledgment. Regardless of how big or small the deed is, everyone should be recognized for their acts of kindness. So for this idea, I’m just going to be very blunt. Literally, just go up to them, say thank you for what they did, say how you really appreciate it, and how it has positively impacted you. Let’s look back at the super hard math question example. I would suggest saying something along the lines of ( feel free to tinker with it ) : “Hey ___! Thanks so much for helping me out with that math yesterday, I really appreciate it. I understand it way better now”. Depending on who you are talking to and to what degree they helped you, you can decide whether to be more formal or informal.
So there you have it folks, 5 meaningful ways to express your appreciation to the people around you who deserve it. Now go out there and put these ideas into action and make someone else’s day a little more brighter!