Have you ever wanted to tell someone how grateful you are, but haven't been sure how to convey it well?
We could talk all day about how important expressing gratitude is to forming trust, strengthening social bonds, and other good things. However, there's also value and beauty in saying thanks regardless of the effect of saying thanks.
That person went out of their way for us.
So how do we express gratitude well and in a way that honours them?
I think there are three main things that gratitude recognises: the effort someone made, the value of what they did, and the impact that those actions and choices had on us.
To write a simple but personal note of gratitude, write about one (or more!) of these three things... maybe a little bit like this:
Dear friend,
Thank you for the birthday gift. It means a lot that you went out of your way to find me a great novel! Sometimes I feel like I've read all the good books out there, so I'm really excited to have this recommendation! I'm looking forward to some cozy evenings with this book and my new favourite tea.
With love,
Did you catch what sets this 'thank you' apart?
'It means a lot that you went out of your way to find me a great novel' regonises the effort of finding a good gift.
'Sometimes I feel like I've read all the good books out there, so I'm really excited to have this recommendation' is a nod to what made it a good gift.
'I'm looking forward to some cozy evenings with this book and my new favourite tea' shows that the impact of this good gift was joy and rest.
This tiny formula is not just useful for thanking someone for a gift. Use it to convey expressions of gratitude for a person's company, time, or friendship.
“In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer