Pen a Thank-You Note

Quick Win

Give a thank-you note to someone who means a lot to you. It could make their day.

Try This Today

• Go old school. Grab a pen and paper, and jot down some thoughts to tell a person why you’re grateful for them.
• Get fancy. Take it up a notch with a cute “thank-you” card — either store bought or handmade.  
• Include a gift. If the person really made your day, toss in a small token of your appreciation.
• Mail your letter. Wouldn’t it make your day to receive a handwritten note in the mail? That’s how your recipient will feel!
• Out of stamps or envelopes? You can do the same thing digitally. Email your thank-you note or use a service like Evite or Paperless Post.

Why

A simple “thank-you” can go a long way. Among 20 Japanese adults ages 26 to 62, those who were read a letter of gratitude by a coworker had a greater decrease in negative mood compared with those who made small talk with a coworker. That research was published in 2020 in the journal PLOS One. Thank you notes can boost the giver’s mood, too. A study reported in 2021 in the Journal of Positive Psychology and Wellbeing found that 100 adults who wrote and read a letter of gratitude to someone meaningful in their lives felt happier, expressed more satisfaction with life and displayed other positive emotions after their “gratitude visit.”