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Thank a Soldier

Expressing your gratitude can help you both feel more positive

By

Staying Sharp

Updated May 20, 2024

Updated May 20, 2024

A female soldier with two young girls on a patio

Peathegee Inc/Getty Images

Quick Win

A simple thank you note can boost a service member’s mood while improving your outlook, too.

Try This Today

Write a thank-you card or letter to a military person abroad.
Begin your letter “Dear Service Member,” and keep your message positive and light. Avoid personal or political topics that you wouldn’t discuss with strangers. You might emphasize your appreciation, or if you are a veteran, you could share some of your better memories and experiences.
Contact your local USO, Operation Gratitude or a local veterans’ facility to have your letter forwarded to a member of the military.

Why

It only takes a moment to extend some kindness to a U.S. service member who is overseas and far from home, but the results can be powerful. “Writing letters to soldiers can .. provide a sense of purpose and meaning for the sender, according to Operation: Care and Comfort. Expressing gratitude, in general, can increase feelings of happiness and well-being, according to a 2018 white paper by the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley.

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Legal Disclaimer: Staying Sharp, including all content and features, is offered for informational purposes and to educate users on brain health care and medical issues that may affect their daily lives. Staying Sharp is based on a holistic, lifestyle approach to brain health that encourages users to incorporate into their daily lives activities that are associated with general wellness. Nothing in the service should be considered, or used as a substitute for, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Features including the Cognitive Assessment and Lifestyle Check-Ins, Additional Tests, exercises, and challenges assess performance at a particular moment in time on certain discrete cognitive tasks. Staying Sharp games are intended for entertainment and recreational purposes only. Various factors may affect performance, including sleep, tiredness, focus, and other social, environmental, or emotional factors. Performance is not indicative of cognitive health and not predictive of future performance or medical conditions.

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