How to Express Gratitude
Write “thank you” cards., Do favors for your friends just because., Tell your family members how much you appreciate them., Give meaningful gifts., Send flowers., Bake something., Respect your elders., Help a person clean up., Give someone a list of...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Write “thank you” cards.
“Thank you” cards aren’t just meant for your teachers; you can give them to anyone who has influenced your life in a positive way.
You can write these cards to your best friend, and you don’t need to wait for a special occasion to send one along, either.
Sending a card expressing your gratitude to a loved one just because can be one of the easiest ways to show how grateful you are for the person’s presence in your life.
You can also write a “thank you” letter if you feel like everything you have to say won’t fit in a card.
Mail the cards to your friends, even if they live just a few blocks away, to show that you’ve really made an effort. -
Step 2: Do favors for your friends just because.
If you want to express your gratitude, then you shouldn’t do favors for your friends just because they’ve helped you out recently or because you want something in return.
Instead, help them out just because you care for them and want to make their day a little easier.
This can mean picking up coffee or lunch when they’re busy, offering to babysit or walk your friend’s dog, or finding another small way to make a big difference in your friend’s life.
Be observant.
Look to see how you can really help out your friend.
If your friend seems tired, say you’ll take her dog for a walk while she naps.
If her room is a mess, offer to help her organize it.
Your friend may not even realize what she needs until you suggest it.
Of course, your friends should sometimes do favors for you in return.
You don’t want to feel like people are taking advantage of your kindness. , You may be taking your family members for granted without even realizing it.
If you want to show your family members how much they mean to you, then all you have to do is remember to tell them that you love them every single day, and to show that you appreciate all of the love, rides, food, help, and any other offerings they have given you.
Tell them in person, in a card, or over the phone.
Do it often.
Your family members may be the people you take the most for granted, and it’s important to get your true feelings out there.
Show them how much they mean to you by giving them your time.
Make family time when you just watch movies, play board games, or cook together.
A time commitment is one way to show you’re grateful.
Help out more around the house than normal.
Don’t wait for your mother to ask you to do an extra load of laundry for her; surprise her by taking the initiative. , Expressing gratitude isn't about buying the most fancy or expensive gift money can buy; instead, it’s about finding a way to show how much the person means to you that shows thought and care.
If your friend has been raving about her favorite book for years, invite her to a surprise reading to see the author or get her an autographed copy or first edition; if your friend loves yoga but is finding her hobby too expensive, get her a one-month pass to show how much you care.
Pay attention to what your friends or family members say.
If one of your friends mentions her new favorite band, get concert tickets for when the band rolls through your town.
If your mother mentions wanting to learn to cook more Italian food, get her a book to help get her started.
You don’t have to wait until a birthday or a holiday to give a gift; sometimes the best gifts are given just because. , Sending flowers isn’t only for birthdays or other special occasions.
You can send your friend or family member flowers just to show how much you care and to make a difference in that person’s day.
The next time you’re feeling really grateful about a friendship, or just when you want to say hello to a faraway friend just because, call a florist in your friend’s area and order a bouquet of flowers that you know will light up your friend’s day.
If you can find a sneaky way to find out what your friend’s favorite flowers are in advance, then you can create a bouquet and personalized. , Taking the time to make banana bread, chocolate chip cookies, or another one of your friend’s favorite desserts can really light up your friend’s day.
Delivering cookies to your friend’s front door, or even mailing cookies to a friend in a far away destination, can really make a big difference in your friend’s life.
This will be a perfect way to express gratitude because everyone knows that time and effort goes into baking, and your friend or loved one will see that you really care and are thankful for all that he or she has done for you.
Baking can especially show your gratitude if you know the person needs to be cheered up a bit.
Chocolate or sweets can make almost every person feel better, and this can be a great way to show that you care. , Another way to express gratitude is to show your elders how much they mean to you.
Whether you’re close with your grandparents or just happen to spend time around older people, it’s important to show that you appreciate them and to be as kind to them as you can.
This is a great way of expressing gratitude and showing that they do make a difference in your life and in the lives of others.
Take the time to listen to what they have to say and don’t dismiss them as out of touch.
They have a lot more to teach you than you have to teach them, most of the time. , Another way to express gratitude to your friends or family members is to help them clean either their homes, their cars, or anything else that may need a quick clean.
Cleaning up a person’s space can help bring on clarity of mind and can also help take an unpleasant task off the person’s hands.
See if your parents or friends really need some help cleaning, or even just clean to surprise them as a way to express gratitude.
If you’re cleaning as a surprise, just make sure the person is comfortable with you touching his or her things and doesn't feel that his or her privacy has been invaded.
If you’ve been a guest in someone’s home for a few days, then cleaning up is one great way to express your gratitude. , Another way to express your gratitude to a person you care about is to present the person with a list of all the amazing things he or she has done for you, from teaching you how to make an amazing pasta salad to being there for you in a crisis.
You can make this list for your boss, a family member, or a friend; it’ll make the person feel great to know that he or she is so appreciated.
You can even make the list look a bit more elaborate and decorative, so the person can even hang it up to feel even better! If you really want to go all out, you can even frame it for the person. , Another way to express gratitude to the person you care about is to be there to lend a listening ear.
Just taking the time to be there for a person and to give him or her the time of day can be one of the best things you can do to make a person feel loved and appreciated.
Just sit down with the person, shut off your phone, make eye contact, and take the time to really hear the person out, instead of interrupting or planning your response in your head.
Few people feel like they are being heard in this multi-tasking society, and you can show the person how much you care by really making an effort to listen.
Don’t give advice unless the person asks for it.
Sometimes, the best you can do is just be there.
Don’t compare the person’s experiences to your own unless you really think it will help.
Instead, take what the person is saying on his or her own terms. , Another way to express gratitude is to thank a person in front of other people.
You shouldn't do this in a way that makes the person embarrassed, but you should make it clear how much the person means to you and how hard he or she has worked for you.
Just a few sentences at work, during a toast at dinner, or at a small gathering of friends can make a person feel even more special about his or her role in your life.Just make sure this comes off as sincere and not like you’re sucking up.
Make sure you really mean it, and that you have specific examples that show how much you care.
Letting other people see how much a person means to you can really fill that person with pride. -
Step 3: Tell your family members how much you appreciate them.
-
Step 4: Give meaningful gifts.
-
Step 5: Send flowers.
-
Step 6: Bake something.
-
Step 7: Respect your elders.
-
Step 8: Help a person clean up.
-
Step 9: Give someone a list of all the good things they've done for you.
-
Step 10: Listen.
-
Step 11: Acknowledge the person publicly.
Detailed Guide
“Thank you” cards aren’t just meant for your teachers; you can give them to anyone who has influenced your life in a positive way.
You can write these cards to your best friend, and you don’t need to wait for a special occasion to send one along, either.
Sending a card expressing your gratitude to a loved one just because can be one of the easiest ways to show how grateful you are for the person’s presence in your life.
You can also write a “thank you” letter if you feel like everything you have to say won’t fit in a card.
Mail the cards to your friends, even if they live just a few blocks away, to show that you’ve really made an effort.
If you want to express your gratitude, then you shouldn’t do favors for your friends just because they’ve helped you out recently or because you want something in return.
Instead, help them out just because you care for them and want to make their day a little easier.
This can mean picking up coffee or lunch when they’re busy, offering to babysit or walk your friend’s dog, or finding another small way to make a big difference in your friend’s life.
Be observant.
Look to see how you can really help out your friend.
If your friend seems tired, say you’ll take her dog for a walk while she naps.
If her room is a mess, offer to help her organize it.
Your friend may not even realize what she needs until you suggest it.
Of course, your friends should sometimes do favors for you in return.
You don’t want to feel like people are taking advantage of your kindness. , You may be taking your family members for granted without even realizing it.
If you want to show your family members how much they mean to you, then all you have to do is remember to tell them that you love them every single day, and to show that you appreciate all of the love, rides, food, help, and any other offerings they have given you.
Tell them in person, in a card, or over the phone.
Do it often.
Your family members may be the people you take the most for granted, and it’s important to get your true feelings out there.
Show them how much they mean to you by giving them your time.
Make family time when you just watch movies, play board games, or cook together.
A time commitment is one way to show you’re grateful.
Help out more around the house than normal.
Don’t wait for your mother to ask you to do an extra load of laundry for her; surprise her by taking the initiative. , Expressing gratitude isn't about buying the most fancy or expensive gift money can buy; instead, it’s about finding a way to show how much the person means to you that shows thought and care.
If your friend has been raving about her favorite book for years, invite her to a surprise reading to see the author or get her an autographed copy or first edition; if your friend loves yoga but is finding her hobby too expensive, get her a one-month pass to show how much you care.
Pay attention to what your friends or family members say.
If one of your friends mentions her new favorite band, get concert tickets for when the band rolls through your town.
If your mother mentions wanting to learn to cook more Italian food, get her a book to help get her started.
You don’t have to wait until a birthday or a holiday to give a gift; sometimes the best gifts are given just because. , Sending flowers isn’t only for birthdays or other special occasions.
You can send your friend or family member flowers just to show how much you care and to make a difference in that person’s day.
The next time you’re feeling really grateful about a friendship, or just when you want to say hello to a faraway friend just because, call a florist in your friend’s area and order a bouquet of flowers that you know will light up your friend’s day.
If you can find a sneaky way to find out what your friend’s favorite flowers are in advance, then you can create a bouquet and personalized. , Taking the time to make banana bread, chocolate chip cookies, or another one of your friend’s favorite desserts can really light up your friend’s day.
Delivering cookies to your friend’s front door, or even mailing cookies to a friend in a far away destination, can really make a big difference in your friend’s life.
This will be a perfect way to express gratitude because everyone knows that time and effort goes into baking, and your friend or loved one will see that you really care and are thankful for all that he or she has done for you.
Baking can especially show your gratitude if you know the person needs to be cheered up a bit.
Chocolate or sweets can make almost every person feel better, and this can be a great way to show that you care. , Another way to express gratitude is to show your elders how much they mean to you.
Whether you’re close with your grandparents or just happen to spend time around older people, it’s important to show that you appreciate them and to be as kind to them as you can.
This is a great way of expressing gratitude and showing that they do make a difference in your life and in the lives of others.
Take the time to listen to what they have to say and don’t dismiss them as out of touch.
They have a lot more to teach you than you have to teach them, most of the time. , Another way to express gratitude to your friends or family members is to help them clean either their homes, their cars, or anything else that may need a quick clean.
Cleaning up a person’s space can help bring on clarity of mind and can also help take an unpleasant task off the person’s hands.
See if your parents or friends really need some help cleaning, or even just clean to surprise them as a way to express gratitude.
If you’re cleaning as a surprise, just make sure the person is comfortable with you touching his or her things and doesn't feel that his or her privacy has been invaded.
If you’ve been a guest in someone’s home for a few days, then cleaning up is one great way to express your gratitude. , Another way to express your gratitude to a person you care about is to present the person with a list of all the amazing things he or she has done for you, from teaching you how to make an amazing pasta salad to being there for you in a crisis.
You can make this list for your boss, a family member, or a friend; it’ll make the person feel great to know that he or she is so appreciated.
You can even make the list look a bit more elaborate and decorative, so the person can even hang it up to feel even better! If you really want to go all out, you can even frame it for the person. , Another way to express gratitude to the person you care about is to be there to lend a listening ear.
Just taking the time to be there for a person and to give him or her the time of day can be one of the best things you can do to make a person feel loved and appreciated.
Just sit down with the person, shut off your phone, make eye contact, and take the time to really hear the person out, instead of interrupting or planning your response in your head.
Few people feel like they are being heard in this multi-tasking society, and you can show the person how much you care by really making an effort to listen.
Don’t give advice unless the person asks for it.
Sometimes, the best you can do is just be there.
Don’t compare the person’s experiences to your own unless you really think it will help.
Instead, take what the person is saying on his or her own terms. , Another way to express gratitude is to thank a person in front of other people.
You shouldn't do this in a way that makes the person embarrassed, but you should make it clear how much the person means to you and how hard he or she has worked for you.
Just a few sentences at work, during a toast at dinner, or at a small gathering of friends can make a person feel even more special about his or her role in your life.Just make sure this comes off as sincere and not like you’re sucking up.
Make sure you really mean it, and that you have specific examples that show how much you care.
Letting other people see how much a person means to you can really fill that person with pride.
About the Author
Margaret Stevens
Committed to making creative arts accessible and understandable for everyone.
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