SlideShare a Scribd company logo
Gratitude and
Appreciation
Top 10 Ways to Show Your
Change your life
Have you thanked someone today?
Buddha made a good point when he said:
In short, if we’re not dead, we have a lot to be thankful
for. Sounds rather silly, but it’s true!
Each day, blessings come to us that make our life
better in some way, if not today, then tomorrow
or the next day. So it’s important to rejoice and
be glad!
The benefits of showing your
appreciation are many:
1. When you feel gratitude, your blessings
multiply. Feeling grateful for the good things
in your life sends out vibrations that attract even
more good things. This is one of the ideas behind the Law of Attraction!
2. When you show gratitude, your friends multiply. People have a basic need
to feel appreciated. When you fulfill that need, you bring great joy and
happiness with you. As a result, showing your appreciation to others draws them
closer to you and, in turn, they’re more inclined to go out of their way for you.
3. Showing your gratitude brings you more success in both your personal
and professional life.
• Your family ties are strengthened.
• Friends, co-workers, and business associates become very loyal indeed.
• Your relationship with your partner becomes more enduring and passionate.
2
“Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least
we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick,
and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful.”
Change your life
Does this mean if you want these benefits you need to spend all day running
around like a gratitude hound? Not at all! Showing the people in your life your
gratitude and appreciation is easier than you think.
This eBook gives you some tips you can use to easily and effectively show your
appreciation every day. When you show others that you care, everyone will reap
the benefits!
Give thanks for your blessings
Every day, remember to give thanks to your Creator for the many opportunities,
successes, and life lessons. Each day brings you new things to be thankful for and
new opportunities to make your life wonderful. If the sun rises, it’s a good day!
1. Count your blessings. Each day, just after you wake up and before going
to bed, count your blessings, feel gratitude, and give thanks.
2. Keep a gratitude journal. Ask yourself, “What good things happened
today?” List them in your journal and reflect on them.
3. Use your talents to help people. You were given many unique qualities
and talents. Sharing your gifts with those less fortunate is an excellent way
to show your gratitude for your blessings. It helps others and brings
satisfaction and fulfillment to you as well.
• Give a portion of your money or time to those who are in need.
• Volunteer at your local school, library, shelter, food bank, or community
organization.
• Get involved in a cause you feel passionate about and do whatever you
can to help.
Shower your spouse with gratitude
Now that I got your attention with the first three words, let’s talk more about how
you can show gratitude to your spouse. There are plenty of opportunities every day
to let your partner know how much you appreciate them.
3
Change your life
One of the great things about this is that once
you start showing your appreciation to your
spouse, they respond by showing more
gratitude to you! Wow! Don’t you just love to
be appreciated? So does your spouse.
Here are some common situations that
are perfect for showing your gratitude:
1. When your spouse helps with the household chores, don’t take it for
granted simply because you do your share of chores also. Show your
appreciation: “Thank you for doing the dishes. I really appreciate it! It gave me
some time to relax.”
2. Even when your spouse messes up something they’re trying to do for
you, remember it’s the thought that counts. For example, if the food is a
little overcooked, be sure to thank them anyway. If it’s still edible, here’s a
good one: “That’s okay, honey, I like it like that.”
3. If they call to say they’ll be late, rather than getting upset, be thankful
that they let you know about it: “Thanks for calling to let me know.”
4. When you see that your spouse is really beat, offer to do her chores
rather than waiting to be asked.
5. Leave Thank You notes where your spouse will find them during the
day. Thank them for anything and everything.
Let your children know you
appreciate them
Your children, more than anyone else, need to see, hear, and feel your gratitude. Not
only are you teaching them manners, like “Please” and “Thank you,” but you’re also
nurturing them to grow into strong, secure adults who show their own gratitude
toward others.
4
Change your life
Use these tips to show gratitude to your children:
1. Say “Thank you” every time they hand you
something, do you a favor, or listen to instructions.
2. Let the hugs, kisses, compliments and
rewards be plentiful in showing your
appreciation:
You can say things like:
• Thank you! Great job.
• I love the way you did that. Thank you.
• You were so sweet to help me sort the laundry. Thanks.
• Thank you for helping me cook dinner. Now we can enjoy our meal together.
• Thank you for helping me clean the house! Thanks to you, I can get some time to
relax!
• Thank you for being you. I love you just the way you are!
• I’m so happy we get to spend the day together!
• I’m so glad you’re my son!
• I love having these Mother/Daughter days! It’s so fun being with you!
3. Thank and congratulate them for their wise choices when they make
good decisions.
Thank your parents
It’s important to show gratitude to your parents for their love and support
throughout the years. You became who you are today because of the sacrifices your
parents made for you.
1. If you aren’t very close to your parents, make an effort to reach out to them.
2. If you live far away, make the effort to call or visit them often.
5
Change your life
3. Talk about your fond memories and how you appreciate
those experiences.
• “Remember when…?”
4. Offer to do things for them, like their yard maintenance or
shopping.
5. Cook a nice dinner or go out to eat with them frequently.
Show gratitude to your friends
As with other relationships, your friendships must also be nurtured. Even if you
think that your friends already know how much you care for them, it’s still
important to express it through words and actions.
1. Remember to say“Thank you” for their kind thoughts and deeds.
2. Always be there when they need you. In this way, you’re showing your
gratitude through your actions.
3. Send them a card or personal note for no other reason than to thank them
for being your friend. This kind of surprise can go a long way.
Bosses need a thank you, too
No matter how gruff your boss may seem, it’s still important to show your
appreciation. Unfortunately, many employees never once say“Thank you” to their
employer.
More often than not, the only things the boss hears
from others are the problem, complaints,
frustrations, and annoyances.
1. Because of the business relationship, you may
need to be careful how you handle this one.
Overdoing it when expressing your gratitude,
6
Change your life
especially in a larger company, could be construed as “looking for points.”
Many times, a sincere “Oh, thank you!” will suffice.
2. If your office or workplace is smaller and you enjoy closer relationships,
letting your boss know you’re grateful for your job because it has made a
positive difference in your life is appropriate and appreciated.
Let your employees see appreciation
If you’re the boss, you can raise morale and create more loyalty, job satisfaction, and
motivation when you express appreciation to your employees for their hard work.
1. In employee surveys, cash is the number one reward sought by employees for
company incentives. If your company can afford it, small gift certificates or
bonuses for a job well done will show your gratitude for their extra efforts
in a big way.
2. Recognition in front of their peers is also a great way to show your
appreciation. Have an Employee of the Month ceremony where you
present your chosen employee with a plaque or certificate. Also, display the
awards in a special public place in your building.
3. Even if you can’t afford pay raises for outstanding employees, have a
meeting to show your gratitude and give them a more advanced job title that
recognizes their accomplishments. It may seem small, but a better job title
may benefit them when it comes to future jobs.
Be grateful to your colleagues
Your co-workers have a strong influence in your life, and
it’s important to show them gratitude for the things they
do for you. Sometimes it might be something big, like
staying late to help you finish an important report, and
other times it’s no more than lending a sympathetic ear to
your tale of woe.
7
Change your life
Regardless of what the favor is, whether it’s big or small, they still need to feel like
you appreciate them.
The key ingredients in showing your appreciation to your co-workers
are:
• Be sincere.
• Use their name.
• Say“Thank you.”
• State why you appreciate their action.
Try these strategies to show your gratitude at work:
1. When your co-worker helps you complete your work, offer to return
the favor. For example, “Thanks, Sue, for helping me with that report. Frankly, I
don’t know what I would’ve done without you! Let me know if you’re ever in a bind and
I’ll return the favor.”
2. When a team member does an outstanding job on their part of the
project, you can say, “This is wonderful, John! I can see the hard work you must
have put into this. Thank you for doing such an outstanding job on it. This is really
going to help our project.”
3. Here’s another showing of gratitude: “Thank you for being there for me
yesterday, Cindy. I really needed to rant.”
8
Change your life
Customers like to know you care
If you own a business or work directly with customers, your financial future
depends on the happiness of your clients. Show them that you appreciate their
business and they’ll be happy to do business with you again and again.
1. Keep a file with your customers’ birthdays and send them a birthday card
each year. Hand-write a short note and personally sign it. Your note doesn’t
have to be any longer than, “Happy Birthday, Bob! Thank you for your business
this past year.”
2. Every so often send customer appreciation discount coupons or offers to
your clients. It lets them know you’re grateful for their business and will
also boost sales.
3. Have a customer appreciation social function once a year for your VIP
clients. Many companies do this during the holidays, but you can do it
anytime of year, such as hosting a picnic in the summer.
Thank others for their quality service
When someone has made your day a little easier by doing a good job for you, let
them know you appreciate their efforts.
Whether it’s the plumber who just fixed your flooded toilet, the UPS man who
walked down your driveway in the rain to deliver your package, or a polite and
concerned clerk who helped solve your problem, they each made sure to do
something special for you.
Showing your gratitude will brighten their day, too. Plus, you may get even better
service the next time because of your kindness!
9
Change your life
• Make eye contact, smile, and say, “Thank you! You just made my day!” or
“Thank you very much. You’ll never guess how much that helps me out. I really
appreciate your going out of your way for me!”
• Give them a firm handshake to show your sincerity.
As you can see, there are plenty of ways to show your gratitude and appreciation.
In most cases, you don’t even need to go out of your way to show it. A kind word
here and there or a simple “thank you” is one of the simplest of actions that will
warm people’s hearts.
Use these tips to show your gratitude every day and you’ll find your life being
filled with more and more things to be grateful for.
10
Change your life

More Related Content

What's hot

Gratitude revised
Gratitude revisedGratitude revised
Gratitude revised
rockworkshop
 
The Science of Gratitude
The Science of Gratitude The Science of Gratitude
The Science of Gratitude
Globoforce
 
The Gratitude Project: How Gratitude Will Improve Your Life
The Gratitude Project:  How Gratitude Will Improve Your LifeThe Gratitude Project:  How Gratitude Will Improve Your Life
The Gratitude Project: How Gratitude Will Improve Your Life
Russell Terry
 
The Power of Gratitude
The Power of GratitudeThe Power of Gratitude
The Power of Gratitude
INSEAD
 
Reflections On Gratitude
Reflections On GratitudeReflections On Gratitude
Reflections On Gratitude
OH TEIK BIN
 
Ripple factor of gratitude
Ripple factor of gratitudeRipple factor of gratitude
Ripple factor of gratitudekeenerminds
 
Gratitude
GratitudeGratitude
Thankfulness
ThankfulnessThankfulness
Thankfulness
Frank Calberg
 
Gratitude
Gratitude Gratitude
Gratitude
Astha Mithani
 
Forgiveness Presentation
Forgiveness PresentationForgiveness Presentation
Forgiveness Presentationpastorkent
 
Power of gratitude
 Power of gratitude  Power of gratitude
Power of gratitude
AgileNetwork
 
Choose happiness presentation
Choose happiness presentationChoose happiness presentation
Choose happiness presentation
Ginga Fairbairn
 
Compassion
CompassionCompassion
Generosity
GenerosityGenerosity
Generosity
Frank Calberg
 
Benefits of Volunteering
Benefits of VolunteeringBenefits of Volunteering
Benefits of VolunteeringChrisC55
 
Being thankful
Being thankfulBeing thankful
Being thankful
Ninn Jha
 
Mindfulness - Art of Living in the Moment
Mindfulness - Art of Living in the MomentMindfulness - Art of Living in the Moment
Mindfulness - Art of Living in the Moment
Manoj Shah
 
Cultivating Gratitude
Cultivating GratitudeCultivating Gratitude
Cultivating Gratitude
Tom Curtis
 
Mindfulness: How to Make Better Decisions
Mindfulness: How to Make Better DecisionsMindfulness: How to Make Better Decisions
Mindfulness: How to Make Better Decisions
INSEAD
 

What's hot (20)

Gratitude revised
Gratitude revisedGratitude revised
Gratitude revised
 
The Science of Gratitude
The Science of Gratitude The Science of Gratitude
The Science of Gratitude
 
The Gratitude Project: How Gratitude Will Improve Your Life
The Gratitude Project:  How Gratitude Will Improve Your LifeThe Gratitude Project:  How Gratitude Will Improve Your Life
The Gratitude Project: How Gratitude Will Improve Your Life
 
The Power of Gratitude
The Power of GratitudeThe Power of Gratitude
The Power of Gratitude
 
Reflections On Gratitude
Reflections On GratitudeReflections On Gratitude
Reflections On Gratitude
 
Ripple factor of gratitude
Ripple factor of gratitudeRipple factor of gratitude
Ripple factor of gratitude
 
Gratitude
GratitudeGratitude
Gratitude
 
Thankfulness
ThankfulnessThankfulness
Thankfulness
 
Gratitude
Gratitude Gratitude
Gratitude
 
Forgiveness Presentation
Forgiveness PresentationForgiveness Presentation
Forgiveness Presentation
 
Power of gratitude
 Power of gratitude  Power of gratitude
Power of gratitude
 
Choose happiness presentation
Choose happiness presentationChoose happiness presentation
Choose happiness presentation
 
Compassion
CompassionCompassion
Compassion
 
Generosity
GenerosityGenerosity
Generosity
 
Benefits of Volunteering
Benefits of VolunteeringBenefits of Volunteering
Benefits of Volunteering
 
Being thankful
Being thankfulBeing thankful
Being thankful
 
Mindfulness - Art of Living in the Moment
Mindfulness - Art of Living in the MomentMindfulness - Art of Living in the Moment
Mindfulness - Art of Living in the Moment
 
Cultivating Gratitude
Cultivating GratitudeCultivating Gratitude
Cultivating Gratitude
 
Mindfulness: How to Make Better Decisions
Mindfulness: How to Make Better DecisionsMindfulness: How to Make Better Decisions
Mindfulness: How to Make Better Decisions
 
Gratitude and Mindful Meditation
Gratitude and Mindful MeditationGratitude and Mindful Meditation
Gratitude and Mindful Meditation
 

Similar to Top 10-ways-to-show-your-gratitude-and-appreciation (1)

Gratitude for today
Gratitude for todayGratitude for today
Gratitude for today
Flora Runyenje
 
Daily gratitude journal
Daily gratitude journalDaily gratitude journal
Daily gratitude journal
Jonathan Petrou
 
CATCH-UP FRIDAY PEACE EDUCATION WEEK 1.pptx
CATCH-UP FRIDAY PEACE EDUCATION WEEK 1.pptxCATCH-UP FRIDAY PEACE EDUCATION WEEK 1.pptx
CATCH-UP FRIDAY PEACE EDUCATION WEEK 1.pptx
RezaMagdaraog1
 
Kindness-Slides.pdf
Kindness-Slides.pdfKindness-Slides.pdf
Kindness-Slides.pdf
VashniChetty1
 
10 powerful ways to experience self love today
10 powerful ways to experience self love today 10 powerful ways to experience self love today
10 powerful ways to experience self love today
ParveenKumar601
 
GRATITUDE powerpoint presentation-catch uo friday
GRATITUDE powerpoint presentation-catch uo fridayGRATITUDE powerpoint presentation-catch uo friday
GRATITUDE powerpoint presentation-catch uo friday
ayeshajane1
 
Have an Attitude of Gratitude Make sure.pptx
Have an Attitude of Gratitude Make sure.pptxHave an Attitude of Gratitude Make sure.pptx
Have an Attitude of Gratitude Make sure.pptx
Tejas Shah
 
Heart of gratitude
Heart of gratitudeHeart of gratitude
Heart of gratitudeSadia Zareen
 
Why Practice Gratitude Daily?
Why Practice Gratitude Daily?Why Practice Gratitude Daily?
Why Practice Gratitude Daily?
Maggie1948
 
Ymag26 - A window for action loving professionals
Ymag26 - A window for action loving professionalsYmag26 - A window for action loving professionals
Ymag26 - A window for action loving professionalsRajiv Khurana, CMC, FIMC
 
Beautiful life
Beautiful lifeBeautiful life
Time_&_Success.pdf
Time_&_Success.pdfTime_&_Success.pdf
Time_&_Success.pdf
doralove1
 
Time_&_Success.pdf
Time_&_Success.pdfTime_&_Success.pdf
Time_&_Success.pdf
SamiyappanPrakash
 
An-Attitude-for-Gratitude.pptx
An-Attitude-for-Gratitude.pptxAn-Attitude-for-Gratitude.pptx
An-Attitude-for-Gratitude.pptx
RimshaAsif14
 
motivational
motivationalmotivational
motivational
PesquisePlanejados
 
Power of-gratitude
Power of-gratitudePower of-gratitude
Power of-gratitude
Natali Mushuko
 
Power of-gratitude
Power of-gratitudePower of-gratitude
Power of-gratitude
Hector Jayat
 
More Grace This Year In 2015
More Grace This Year In 2015More Grace This Year In 2015
More Grace This Year In 2015
preferredcarehome8981
 
compliment.pptx
compliment.pptxcompliment.pptx
compliment.pptx
KhoaL411396
 

Similar to Top 10-ways-to-show-your-gratitude-and-appreciation (1) (20)

Gratitude for today
Gratitude for todayGratitude for today
Gratitude for today
 
Daily gratitude journal
Daily gratitude journalDaily gratitude journal
Daily gratitude journal
 
CATCH-UP FRIDAY PEACE EDUCATION WEEK 1.pptx
CATCH-UP FRIDAY PEACE EDUCATION WEEK 1.pptxCATCH-UP FRIDAY PEACE EDUCATION WEEK 1.pptx
CATCH-UP FRIDAY PEACE EDUCATION WEEK 1.pptx
 
Kindness-Slides.pdf
Kindness-Slides.pdfKindness-Slides.pdf
Kindness-Slides.pdf
 
10 powerful ways to experience self love today
10 powerful ways to experience self love today 10 powerful ways to experience self love today
10 powerful ways to experience self love today
 
GRATITUDE powerpoint presentation-catch uo friday
GRATITUDE powerpoint presentation-catch uo fridayGRATITUDE powerpoint presentation-catch uo friday
GRATITUDE powerpoint presentation-catch uo friday
 
Have an Attitude of Gratitude Make sure.pptx
Have an Attitude of Gratitude Make sure.pptxHave an Attitude of Gratitude Make sure.pptx
Have an Attitude of Gratitude Make sure.pptx
 
Heart of gratitude
Heart of gratitudeHeart of gratitude
Heart of gratitude
 
Why Practice Gratitude Daily?
Why Practice Gratitude Daily?Why Practice Gratitude Daily?
Why Practice Gratitude Daily?
 
Ymag26 - A window for action loving professionals
Ymag26 - A window for action loving professionalsYmag26 - A window for action loving professionals
Ymag26 - A window for action loving professionals
 
Beautiful life
Beautiful lifeBeautiful life
Beautiful life
 
Time_&_Success.pdf
Time_&_Success.pdfTime_&_Success.pdf
Time_&_Success.pdf
 
Time_&_Success.pdf
Time_&_Success.pdfTime_&_Success.pdf
Time_&_Success.pdf
 
An-Attitude-for-Gratitude.pptx
An-Attitude-for-Gratitude.pptxAn-Attitude-for-Gratitude.pptx
An-Attitude-for-Gratitude.pptx
 
motivational
motivationalmotivational
motivational
 
Power of-gratitude
Power of-gratitudePower of-gratitude
Power of-gratitude
 
Power of-gratitude
Power of-gratitudePower of-gratitude
Power of-gratitude
 
Attitude of Gratitude
Attitude of GratitudeAttitude of Gratitude
Attitude of Gratitude
 
More Grace This Year In 2015
More Grace This Year In 2015More Grace This Year In 2015
More Grace This Year In 2015
 
compliment.pptx
compliment.pptxcompliment.pptx
compliment.pptx
 

Recently uploaded

What Is The Psychology Behind Reborn Dolls_.pptx
What Is The Psychology Behind Reborn Dolls_.pptxWhat Is The Psychology Behind Reborn Dolls_.pptx
What Is The Psychology Behind Reborn Dolls_.pptx
Lloyd Dobson Artist
 
Program Your Destiny eBook - Destiny University.pdf
Program Your Destiny eBook - Destiny University.pdfProgram Your Destiny eBook - Destiny University.pdf
Program Your Destiny eBook - Destiny University.pdf
Michael Herlache, MBA
 
SOCIOLOGY PPT. SOCIAL SECURITY POWER POINT
SOCIOLOGY PPT. SOCIAL SECURITY POWER POINTSOCIOLOGY PPT. SOCIAL SECURITY POWER POINT
SOCIOLOGY PPT. SOCIAL SECURITY POWER POINT
ssuser8d5e2d1
 
Ethical_dilemmas_MDI_Gurgaon-Business Ethics Case 1.pptx
Ethical_dilemmas_MDI_Gurgaon-Business Ethics Case 1.pptxEthical_dilemmas_MDI_Gurgaon-Business Ethics Case 1.pptx
Ethical_dilemmas_MDI_Gurgaon-Business Ethics Case 1.pptx
TANMAYJAIN511570
 
Collocation thường gặp trong đề thi THPT Quốc gia.pdf
Collocation thường gặp trong đề thi THPT Quốc gia.pdfCollocation thường gặp trong đề thi THPT Quốc gia.pdf
Collocation thường gặp trong đề thi THPT Quốc gia.pdf
ngochaavk33a
 
UNIVERSAL HUMAN VALUES- Harmony in the Nature
UNIVERSAL HUMAN VALUES- Harmony in the NatureUNIVERSAL HUMAN VALUES- Harmony in the Nature
UNIVERSAL HUMAN VALUES- Harmony in the Nature
Chandrakant Divate
 

Recently uploaded (6)

What Is The Psychology Behind Reborn Dolls_.pptx
What Is The Psychology Behind Reborn Dolls_.pptxWhat Is The Psychology Behind Reborn Dolls_.pptx
What Is The Psychology Behind Reborn Dolls_.pptx
 
Program Your Destiny eBook - Destiny University.pdf
Program Your Destiny eBook - Destiny University.pdfProgram Your Destiny eBook - Destiny University.pdf
Program Your Destiny eBook - Destiny University.pdf
 
SOCIOLOGY PPT. SOCIAL SECURITY POWER POINT
SOCIOLOGY PPT. SOCIAL SECURITY POWER POINTSOCIOLOGY PPT. SOCIAL SECURITY POWER POINT
SOCIOLOGY PPT. SOCIAL SECURITY POWER POINT
 
Ethical_dilemmas_MDI_Gurgaon-Business Ethics Case 1.pptx
Ethical_dilemmas_MDI_Gurgaon-Business Ethics Case 1.pptxEthical_dilemmas_MDI_Gurgaon-Business Ethics Case 1.pptx
Ethical_dilemmas_MDI_Gurgaon-Business Ethics Case 1.pptx
 
Collocation thường gặp trong đề thi THPT Quốc gia.pdf
Collocation thường gặp trong đề thi THPT Quốc gia.pdfCollocation thường gặp trong đề thi THPT Quốc gia.pdf
Collocation thường gặp trong đề thi THPT Quốc gia.pdf
 
UNIVERSAL HUMAN VALUES- Harmony in the Nature
UNIVERSAL HUMAN VALUES- Harmony in the NatureUNIVERSAL HUMAN VALUES- Harmony in the Nature
UNIVERSAL HUMAN VALUES- Harmony in the Nature
 

Top 10-ways-to-show-your-gratitude-and-appreciation (1)

  • 1. Gratitude and Appreciation Top 10 Ways to Show Your Change your life
  • 2. Have you thanked someone today? Buddha made a good point when he said: In short, if we’re not dead, we have a lot to be thankful for. Sounds rather silly, but it’s true! Each day, blessings come to us that make our life better in some way, if not today, then tomorrow or the next day. So it’s important to rejoice and be glad! The benefits of showing your appreciation are many: 1. When you feel gratitude, your blessings multiply. Feeling grateful for the good things in your life sends out vibrations that attract even more good things. This is one of the ideas behind the Law of Attraction! 2. When you show gratitude, your friends multiply. People have a basic need to feel appreciated. When you fulfill that need, you bring great joy and happiness with you. As a result, showing your appreciation to others draws them closer to you and, in turn, they’re more inclined to go out of their way for you. 3. Showing your gratitude brings you more success in both your personal and professional life. • Your family ties are strengthened. • Friends, co-workers, and business associates become very loyal indeed. • Your relationship with your partner becomes more enduring and passionate. 2 “Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful.” Change your life
  • 3. Does this mean if you want these benefits you need to spend all day running around like a gratitude hound? Not at all! Showing the people in your life your gratitude and appreciation is easier than you think. This eBook gives you some tips you can use to easily and effectively show your appreciation every day. When you show others that you care, everyone will reap the benefits! Give thanks for your blessings Every day, remember to give thanks to your Creator for the many opportunities, successes, and life lessons. Each day brings you new things to be thankful for and new opportunities to make your life wonderful. If the sun rises, it’s a good day! 1. Count your blessings. Each day, just after you wake up and before going to bed, count your blessings, feel gratitude, and give thanks. 2. Keep a gratitude journal. Ask yourself, “What good things happened today?” List them in your journal and reflect on them. 3. Use your talents to help people. You were given many unique qualities and talents. Sharing your gifts with those less fortunate is an excellent way to show your gratitude for your blessings. It helps others and brings satisfaction and fulfillment to you as well. • Give a portion of your money or time to those who are in need. • Volunteer at your local school, library, shelter, food bank, or community organization. • Get involved in a cause you feel passionate about and do whatever you can to help. Shower your spouse with gratitude Now that I got your attention with the first three words, let’s talk more about how you can show gratitude to your spouse. There are plenty of opportunities every day to let your partner know how much you appreciate them. 3 Change your life
  • 4. One of the great things about this is that once you start showing your appreciation to your spouse, they respond by showing more gratitude to you! Wow! Don’t you just love to be appreciated? So does your spouse. Here are some common situations that are perfect for showing your gratitude: 1. When your spouse helps with the household chores, don’t take it for granted simply because you do your share of chores also. Show your appreciation: “Thank you for doing the dishes. I really appreciate it! It gave me some time to relax.” 2. Even when your spouse messes up something they’re trying to do for you, remember it’s the thought that counts. For example, if the food is a little overcooked, be sure to thank them anyway. If it’s still edible, here’s a good one: “That’s okay, honey, I like it like that.” 3. If they call to say they’ll be late, rather than getting upset, be thankful that they let you know about it: “Thanks for calling to let me know.” 4. When you see that your spouse is really beat, offer to do her chores rather than waiting to be asked. 5. Leave Thank You notes where your spouse will find them during the day. Thank them for anything and everything. Let your children know you appreciate them Your children, more than anyone else, need to see, hear, and feel your gratitude. Not only are you teaching them manners, like “Please” and “Thank you,” but you’re also nurturing them to grow into strong, secure adults who show their own gratitude toward others. 4 Change your life
  • 5. Use these tips to show gratitude to your children: 1. Say “Thank you” every time they hand you something, do you a favor, or listen to instructions. 2. Let the hugs, kisses, compliments and rewards be plentiful in showing your appreciation: You can say things like: • Thank you! Great job. • I love the way you did that. Thank you. • You were so sweet to help me sort the laundry. Thanks. • Thank you for helping me cook dinner. Now we can enjoy our meal together. • Thank you for helping me clean the house! Thanks to you, I can get some time to relax! • Thank you for being you. I love you just the way you are! • I’m so happy we get to spend the day together! • I’m so glad you’re my son! • I love having these Mother/Daughter days! It’s so fun being with you! 3. Thank and congratulate them for their wise choices when they make good decisions. Thank your parents It’s important to show gratitude to your parents for their love and support throughout the years. You became who you are today because of the sacrifices your parents made for you. 1. If you aren’t very close to your parents, make an effort to reach out to them. 2. If you live far away, make the effort to call or visit them often. 5 Change your life
  • 6. 3. Talk about your fond memories and how you appreciate those experiences. • “Remember when…?” 4. Offer to do things for them, like their yard maintenance or shopping. 5. Cook a nice dinner or go out to eat with them frequently. Show gratitude to your friends As with other relationships, your friendships must also be nurtured. Even if you think that your friends already know how much you care for them, it’s still important to express it through words and actions. 1. Remember to say“Thank you” for their kind thoughts and deeds. 2. Always be there when they need you. In this way, you’re showing your gratitude through your actions. 3. Send them a card or personal note for no other reason than to thank them for being your friend. This kind of surprise can go a long way. Bosses need a thank you, too No matter how gruff your boss may seem, it’s still important to show your appreciation. Unfortunately, many employees never once say“Thank you” to their employer. More often than not, the only things the boss hears from others are the problem, complaints, frustrations, and annoyances. 1. Because of the business relationship, you may need to be careful how you handle this one. Overdoing it when expressing your gratitude, 6 Change your life
  • 7. especially in a larger company, could be construed as “looking for points.” Many times, a sincere “Oh, thank you!” will suffice. 2. If your office or workplace is smaller and you enjoy closer relationships, letting your boss know you’re grateful for your job because it has made a positive difference in your life is appropriate and appreciated. Let your employees see appreciation If you’re the boss, you can raise morale and create more loyalty, job satisfaction, and motivation when you express appreciation to your employees for their hard work. 1. In employee surveys, cash is the number one reward sought by employees for company incentives. If your company can afford it, small gift certificates or bonuses for a job well done will show your gratitude for their extra efforts in a big way. 2. Recognition in front of their peers is also a great way to show your appreciation. Have an Employee of the Month ceremony where you present your chosen employee with a plaque or certificate. Also, display the awards in a special public place in your building. 3. Even if you can’t afford pay raises for outstanding employees, have a meeting to show your gratitude and give them a more advanced job title that recognizes their accomplishments. It may seem small, but a better job title may benefit them when it comes to future jobs. Be grateful to your colleagues Your co-workers have a strong influence in your life, and it’s important to show them gratitude for the things they do for you. Sometimes it might be something big, like staying late to help you finish an important report, and other times it’s no more than lending a sympathetic ear to your tale of woe. 7 Change your life
  • 8. Regardless of what the favor is, whether it’s big or small, they still need to feel like you appreciate them. The key ingredients in showing your appreciation to your co-workers are: • Be sincere. • Use their name. • Say“Thank you.” • State why you appreciate their action. Try these strategies to show your gratitude at work: 1. When your co-worker helps you complete your work, offer to return the favor. For example, “Thanks, Sue, for helping me with that report. Frankly, I don’t know what I would’ve done without you! Let me know if you’re ever in a bind and I’ll return the favor.” 2. When a team member does an outstanding job on their part of the project, you can say, “This is wonderful, John! I can see the hard work you must have put into this. Thank you for doing such an outstanding job on it. This is really going to help our project.” 3. Here’s another showing of gratitude: “Thank you for being there for me yesterday, Cindy. I really needed to rant.” 8 Change your life
  • 9. Customers like to know you care If you own a business or work directly with customers, your financial future depends on the happiness of your clients. Show them that you appreciate their business and they’ll be happy to do business with you again and again. 1. Keep a file with your customers’ birthdays and send them a birthday card each year. Hand-write a short note and personally sign it. Your note doesn’t have to be any longer than, “Happy Birthday, Bob! Thank you for your business this past year.” 2. Every so often send customer appreciation discount coupons or offers to your clients. It lets them know you’re grateful for their business and will also boost sales. 3. Have a customer appreciation social function once a year for your VIP clients. Many companies do this during the holidays, but you can do it anytime of year, such as hosting a picnic in the summer. Thank others for their quality service When someone has made your day a little easier by doing a good job for you, let them know you appreciate their efforts. Whether it’s the plumber who just fixed your flooded toilet, the UPS man who walked down your driveway in the rain to deliver your package, or a polite and concerned clerk who helped solve your problem, they each made sure to do something special for you. Showing your gratitude will brighten their day, too. Plus, you may get even better service the next time because of your kindness! 9 Change your life
  • 10. • Make eye contact, smile, and say, “Thank you! You just made my day!” or “Thank you very much. You’ll never guess how much that helps me out. I really appreciate your going out of your way for me!” • Give them a firm handshake to show your sincerity. As you can see, there are plenty of ways to show your gratitude and appreciation. In most cases, you don’t even need to go out of your way to show it. A kind word here and there or a simple “thank you” is one of the simplest of actions that will warm people’s hearts. Use these tips to show your gratitude every day and you’ll find your life being filled with more and more things to be grateful for. 10 Change your life