It’s that time of year…the holidays…when everyone is letting others know how much they love and are thankful for them. But saying thank you isn’t easy for everyone….especially if you are one that has a hard time accepting help in the first place.
So today I’ve put together two short lists with some simple ideas on how to say thank you without actually having to say “thank you”. The first list has ideas for what to say and the second list has some ideas on things to do…which means you don’t even need to talk at all to let someone know that you are thankful for them.
Alright…let’s get started…
Saying it with words:
When letting someone know that you are thankful for something they have done it is always wonderful to be specific about what you are thankful for.
For instance, instead of saying “thank you for your help” it may mean more to say exactly what help it is you are thankful for…like, “Thank you Grace for playing with Ruth while I was trying to get the laundry folded. I would never have been able to get it done without your help!” or “Thanks for picking up the slack and grabbing some dinner for us on the way home….it’s been a long day.”
I know that sounds lame and like common sense advice…but….not everyone does that…and you would be surprised how much it is appreciated.
Now, onto the list!
#1. I appreciated_____
#2. Without you I wouldn’t have been able to_____
#3. I really needed_____
#4. I’m so glad that you_____
#5. You are a blessing because_____
#6. It was fantastic when you_____
#7. Gracias! Danke! Mahalo! Merci!
#8. I couldn’t have ever done_____without your help.
#9. That was awesome when you_____
#10. I am so lucky that you_____
#11. I want you to know that I noticed_____
So that was a simple list but if you would rather not give your thanks in person here are a few simple ways you can express your gratitude without saying a word:
#1. Leave them a note on their pillow, desk, dashboard, backpack, front porch, etc.
#2. Send them a song (in and email…or burn it on a cd with a note on top that says PLAY).
#3. Give them a hug, handshake, squeeze on the shoulder, etc.
#4. Say it in a text.
#5. Pay it forward…then tell them about it later. (PS—Thank you Deborah for your comment and for those peppers you made for your neighbors. That means a lot to me.)
#6. Send them an email.
#7. Leave them a bag of Life Savors (the white winter fresh ones are the best 🙂 ) and a note letting them know that they were a life saver.
#8. Write an old fashioned Thank You note. (And to make it even better…mail it…snail mail…how refreshing would it be to get something in the mail that wasn’t a bill or junk mail?)
#9. Return the favor.
#10. Send flowers.
#11. Make a video saying exactly what you want to say.
Alright. So there you have it twenty two easy ways to let someone know that you appreciate them. You know your style and you know who you need to thank…be genuine…do it your way…do it when you need to…but do it. The world could use some more gratitude.
-liZ
I hadn’t noticed how often my husband thanked me for making dinner until our 2 year-old daughter started saying it. Now our boys, ages 6 and 8, also say it on a regular basis and sometimes it’s a race to see who says it first. What a great feeling to be thanked for something I do so often! Now I need to follow their example and return the favor.
On Tuesday when I picked my granddaughters from the sitters house they were whispering about a project they wanted to do. When we came home they went downstairs into the basement in their playroom. Together they wrote a HUGE NOTE for their Mom (3 ft by 3 ft).
It said:
Dear mom,
Hi mom. I Love You mom. I Love your makeup and me and Cailyn got are pins up today. (This a behavior chart at school and going UP is GOOD!!) we are haveing a graet DAY! you are the Best Mom ever.
Deborah Devine