Gratitude Expert: Lori Saitz
When was the last time you received a thank you card or gift delivered to your door?
Conversely, when was the last time you sent one? It feels fantastic when someone recognizes and acknowledges kindness.
How Do You Start Your Day?
“The goal is to share with you a simple way to incorporate thankfulness into your day in only five minutes.”
There are plenty of studies on how gratitude boosts your health and overall well-being. But then we get busy with life and we don’t implement all our good intentions. The purpose of this article is not to berate you.
I sheepishly admit that my attempts to be more grateful for all the situations and circumstances in my life often fall short too. Above all, the goal is to share with you a simple way to incorporate thankfulness into your day in only five minutes.
How do you start your day? Is it with a hot cuppa? As a tea snob, I use my love of tea as an impetus for gratitude. (My favorite at the moment is an Orange Sencha green tea.) Admittedly though, it’s not really the tea that improves your feelings of gratitude. You can use coffee or whatever your morning beverage of choice is.
Here Are Two Ways To Recognize And Acknowledge The Blessings In Your Life:
- Firstly, every time you make a cup of tea, in the 3-5 minutes you’re waiting for it to steep, take a few deep breaths and recall three things that happened in the past 24 hours for which you are grateful. No matter how bad or whiny a mood you’re in, and especially if you live in a first-world country, you most certainly can find three things in your life that you appreciate.You can start with you have tea! Did you sleep in a nice, warm bed last night? There’s #2. Are you wearing clothes? Are you heating your water over an open fire or with an appliance? Do you have reliable electricity or gas? Do you have even one good friend? A cat? A dog? I’m sure you can come up with all kinds of amazing blessings. And be thankful. In addition, no need to write them down in a special journal with a magic pen (of course you can if you’d like). Simply take a few moments of your wait and use them productively. See how much better your tea tastes now? Back to the question of sending thank yous. Someone does something nice for you and you mean to send a gift or a card. But somehow weeks go by, you don’t get to it. As a result, It feels embarrassing. I’ve found that if you plan ahead, you are ready when the opportunity to show gratitude arises. That’s the time you’ll be able to take action in just a few moments.
- Secondly, writing thank-you notes. It seems to have become a lost art. If one is inclined to say thank you at all, typically It’s by shooting off a quick email. Sure, it’s better than not even acknowledging kindness. But there’s a different level of satisfaction, for both the sender and recipient, when there’s a more tangible exchange of appreciation. Moreover, make it easy on yourself. Try keeping a few cute notecards on hand. There are some beautiful ones right here on this website. Get a book of forever stamps and a pen in your favorite color. Put them together in your office or wherever you’re most likely to sit down and write. Now, you’re ready to go when you find an occasion.
It Doesn’t Need To Be Extravagant:
“Gratitude reigns and in a very important way, you’ve made the world a better place.”
If you’re moved to send more than a card, that’s great. You may find it convenient to have a go-to gift that’s suitable for everyone. It doesn’t need to be extravagant and you don’t have to spend a lot. Just make an impression.
In other words, you won’t be surprised to learn I recommend tea as a great appreciation gift – for friends, colleagues or clients. It’s easy to keep a few packages of loose leaf tea and a teacup/infuser or flask on hand. You won’t need to think about what to get or keep adding “get a gift” to your to-do list every day. Therefore, you can easily write a two-sentence note and drop the package in the mail!
Sharing The Gratitude:
What’s your favorite go-to gratitude gift? Leave a comment in the section below and let’s compare notes! You’ll feel good for sharing your gratitude. Your recipient will feel appreciated when receiving and opening the package and again every time they use and enjoy your gift. Gratitude reigns and in a very important way, you’ve made the world a better place.
About the Author:
Lori Saitz loves sharing the power of gratitude and meditation with entrepreneurial professionals who hire her to help them boost business success and achieve life goals faster – without working harder. She is the CEO of Zen Rabbit, host of the podcast “FINE is a 4-Letter Word,” and a sought-after speaker. When she’s not working, you can find Lori in the weight room at the gym, because she also loves baking and eating. See more at the Zen Rabbit website and connect with her on LinkedIn.
