Ways to Say Thank You and Show Apprecitation

In what ways do you thank others? Today I want to share with you some ways to say thank you. Something I think we reflect on at times is that we are often not thanked for what we do in our day to day lives. No one thanks you for making dinner, or showing up to work. It’s just expected. No one thanks you when you’ve moved heaven and earth to make a cilent happy even though a lot of what you did was out of your job description. And sometimes we pause and think, wow, a little gratitude would be nice, look at what I just did.

Often, when we think about self care we think about expressing gratitude for the blessings in our lives. That we have food and water, our health, our pets, the sunshine that always comes after a rainy day—or week. But it’s also important to say thank you to those in our lives, whether they are loved ones or total strangers.

Specify What you are Grateful For

Many, if not most of us, were raised to say thank you. In fact, Canadians are known for being polite because we are always saying thank you. But I think sometimes saying thank you can be just a throw away phrase, something we say automatically because we know we ought say it. So instead of simply saying thank you, another way to truly express gratitude and appreciation is to specify exactly what you are thankful for. For example, thank an employee in a store who took some extra time with you, thank you for walking me right to the aisle, that really saved me some time. Finding different ways to say thank you such as this example will really let others know you appreciate them.

Or thank a family member in a similar way, I’m so glad you remembered I don’t take sugar in my coffee, thank you for that. Little things like this remind others that you are noticing them and grateful for the little things they do.

Tip Service Workers

Today, I tipped at a take away resturant I normally wouldn’t tip at because the worker was generous with the portions, took his time to make sure we got exactly what we liked on our orders and was super polite about it. That’s another way to say thank you, especially in small take away joints that don’t always get tips in their tip jars. I know tipping sometimes seems like an obligation, and an added expense to an already costly service, but in some circumstances, tipping, or tipping extra is a nice way to really express appreciation.

Writing a Thank You Note

One of the nicest ways to say thank you is with a thank you cared. I know sometimes I’ve received thank you notes and I feel like they were written for courtsey’s sake, as a way to thank me for giving a gift, but I have gotten thank you cards that have were truly moving as well. Writing a thank you note can allow you a private way to truly express your thoughts and feelings to someone. I have received cards from parents of students that I have taught that I have saved because the expression of gratitude was so heartfelt.

I have also had people call me to say thank you for the thank you I wrote them, stating it really meant a lot. Words are powerful, so why not take some time to write a note to someone who has done you a huge favour, or makes a big difference in your place of employment or in your life? From personal experience, I can say the gesture is appreciated. Thank you cards are one of the ways to say thank you that can show someone you went the extra mile because you honestly think highly of them.

Give a Gift of Thanks

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Being gifted a gift of thanks is always surprising, and I always feel taken aback. Giving a gift might seem like overkill, but sometimes it’s the perfect way to express gratitude. And the gift does not have to be one of a costly monetary value. It could be something handmade, or even a home cooked meal you’ve prepped and brought over. If it is a bought item, chose something meaningful over something pricy. I once gave a necklace that had a magnifying glass and when you peered it, it had the Lord’s Prayer printed.The recipient was very happy to receive the gift as she was deeply religious, and felt truly appreciated at a time when others were treating her terribly.

Conclusion

Saying thank you is important. We all need to know we are noticed, appreciated, and even the expression of gratitude is beneficial to the person saying thank you as whenever we demonstrate kindness towards others, it gives back to us as well. So be sure to really say thank you to those in your life.

How do you say thank you? Share in the comments below.