Thank You

A couple of days ago, I had a fellow employee swing by my office. This is one of those people with whom I have had my differences of opinion and it is nothing to say that we have "butted heads" a few times. Earlier this week and at the end of last week, I was working on a project for this employee that I was less than thrilled about. The employee had been on my case a bit about completing the project and I had finished it and notified him. All it took to completely brighten my entire day was for him to swing by my office and say, "Thank you."

The funny thing is that it had nothing to do with who the employee was or what I was doing for him. The aspect that put a big smile on my face was the fact that he genuinely seemed grateful for the work I had done. Rest assured, that will also ensure that conflicting projects will very likely put his above the other.

The lesson learned is to say, "Thank you." Above the words just spilling out of your mouth, genuinely be grateful. You would not believe the turn-around for yourself and for others when you are grateful for the work that they do and for the life that you live.

Believe it or not, grateful people are much happier than those who are never satisfied. Grateful people tend to be less stressed out because they focus on the positive things in life. Those who practice genuine gratefulness on a continual basis are loved by others and brighten entire rooms when they enter.

But let's say that you just aren't a naturally grateful person. Don't get me wrong, you're thankful for the acts of others but maybe you just don't show it as often as you should or would like. There are a few things you can do to transform your demeanor of unseen gratitude.

A simple note or word of thanks will do wonders for everyone involved. Even it it's just an email saying, "Thank you," the act will be appreciated. Another helpful idea is to hand-write thank you notes. This one is a bit sore for me personally because, after our wedding, my wife and I wrote over 300. I'm pretty sick of seeing those little things. But do what works for you. One of my favorite things to do is think of three things that you are thankful for each and every day. It helps to write them down before bed (as opposed to after bed) because you end the day thinking about the positive things that happened. As a result, you wake up energized about the next day. You will find that, after a few days, you will be going through your day looking  for the good things instead of the negative things.

It is important to note that credit should be given where credit is due. What I mean by that is this. The Bible says that every good and perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of Lights (James 1:17). That means thanks should be given to God for the good things that happen to you. Writing them down is good for your remembrance, but God deserves the praise for them. We tend to thank Him for the large things in life that happen to us but neglect the day-to-day blessings. Get into the habit of shooting up a short prayer of thanks when you think about it. Above just writing down blessings, this will keep you on the lookout and help to mold you in to one of those grateful people who just plain loves and enjoys life. So make sure you have a great day today, practice gratitude, and until next time, stay classy.

-Andrew