You’re invited to join the 52 Thank You Notes Project for 2020.
Why not launch the new decade with the intention to share your love all year long!
All you have to do is write one thank you note to one person each week throughout the year who has had a positive impact on your life.
Keep it brief, or write the great American novel. There’s no right or wrong way to write your note. If your message comes from your heart, it’s perfect.
The point of the project is to recognize and appreciate the goodness, the kindness, the thoughtfulness, the caring or even just that happy smile this person has brought into your life.
Taking time each week to dwell in gratitude for the love, friendship, or influence, opens a pathway for your feelings of gratitude and appreciation to up-lift your spirits, lasting far longer than the time it takes to compose your note.
Planning considerations…
As you prepare to write each thank you note, recall a time that was particularly special or meaningful. It could be about your appreciation for their presence over time or during a specific event you’d like to recognize.
As I plan my 2020 Gratitude Project, I’ve decided I could even include people who have passed away. I still delight in the love and gratitude I feel toward my grandma.
She was like another mother to me. She showered me with love and affection. Although it’s been over 30 years since her death, I still long for her, speak to her, even call out for her. I experience the power of her eternal love today as the wind beneath my wings.
Since she was my father’s mother, I decided I would send the note “to her” in care of him. I know that he will also feel a surge of love and happiness reading my thank you note to his mother. A bonus ripple effect.
And then I thought about how much I have loved and appreciated the dogs and cats who have graced my life. So I’ve decided I could include them too, either individually or as a group. That I haven’t decided yet.
When I considered whether a handwritten card or note was preferable to a an email or a text, I decided that if I had the person’s address, I would hand-write a card or note. Otherwise an email was fine. And in some instances, a text would be just right too.
Savor your letters throughout the year.
Before you send your note, make a copy and add it to your project folder. Allow your notes to provide periodic gratitude infusions to your sense of well-being.
When you’re in the flow, you just might want to dash off a few letters at one sitting. Just save them in your file folder or an online folder. Send them at the future date you’ve determined.
When someone’s birthday is coming up, that is a good time to write a bit more than the traditional birthday greeting. Include additional words of appreciation and gratitude in the card.
Why are gratitude practices the bedrock of your well-being?
The power of gratitude practices is simply this according to Psychology Today,
Gratitude reduces a multitude of toxic emotions, from envy and resentment to frustration and regret. Robert Emmons, a leading gratitude researcher, has conducted multiple studies on the link between gratitude and well-being. His research confirms that gratitude effectively increases happiness and reduces depression.
And I’m all in on that!
Who do you want to thank?
I grabbed myself a file folder and labeled it My 2020 Gratitude Project.
Next, I grabbed a piece of paper and titled it Who I Want to Thank. Numbering each line from 1-52, I started brainstorming names.
Then I needed to decide the order of my notes. I grabbed my 2020 calendar and wrote in one name on the Sunday of each new week. Just entering the first 10 names, will ensure a strong start.
If you can come up with more than 52 people, just keep going. Either you’ll be inspired to write more Thank You Notes in 2020 or you’ll have a head start on your list for 2021.
You’ll notice that some people you want to thank will require you to do some sleuthing to find out how to reach them.
Don’t worry if you can’t actually send your message or don’t know how to reach the person. Write your note anyway. Actually, write it before you search for the address. It is the act of thinking about all the goodness that yields the results.
For instance, my older daughter had a 6th grade teacher whose advocacy made a huge difference at a pivotal point in her education. I want to thank her for believing in what was magical about my child.
That “child” is now 37 years old so finding her former elementary school teacher will present a challenge. Nevertheless, the search may offer surprising results. Whatever the outcome, no problem.
Just the simple act of remembering why I so appreciated her is a balm for my soul. Even the act of writing about that memory for this blog post has made me smile. It’s already added an extra happiness boost to my day.
Having trouble finding 52 people to thank?
While it can be as simple as thanking the woman behind the counter in the post office for greeting you with a smile, sometimes it’s not so easy. Especially if you’ve been struggling in your marriage or stepfamily relationships.
Let’s explore what steps you can take now to build your reservoir of gratitude and appreciation so you can benefit from the happiness boost all year long.
Reach out to me right here for your FREE Strategy Call so we can get started talking this out.
For a deeper dive into how to maximize your well-being with gratitude, check out my previous blog post to discover more about how your brain functions when in a state of gratitude and appreciation.
It’s so good.
