The Gratitude Attitude!

Gratitude is a feeling of being thankful for the people and things in your life. The expression of gratitude brings positive emotions to those receiving and giving thanks. Yet, we do not always express our gratitude to the people in our lives. Would you like to give it a try and see, hear and feel the results for yourself?

Here's is a suggestion.

Activity

Choose someone in your life who has been helpful and kind to you, yet you haven’t had an opportunity to express your gratitude. This person can be a family member (parent, grandparent, child, spouse, etc.), a friend, teacher, co-worker or coach – anyone who has made a positive impact on your life but has never (or rarely) heard you express your gratitude. Take a moment to think about the things that this person has done that make you grateful.

In this exercise you are to write a letter of gratitude to this person. Take 10-20 minutes to write this letter expressing your gratitude for what this person has contributed to your life. Use the following points as a guide to help you:

• Address the letter specifically to the person (e.g. “Dear...”).
• Do not worry about grammar and spelling.
• Directly address the person throughout the letter.
• Describe specific things that this person has done that made you grateful, and how this person’s behaviour has affected your life.
• End the letter in a way that identifies it is from you (e.g. Sincerely..., or Love..., etc.).

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And now for the challenging bit!

If possible, deliver the letter personally and ask the person to read the letter in your presence or read it aloud to them during your visit.

Good luck and, if you decide to go ahead with this, why not let me know how you got on?