Showing Appreciation

 “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more . . . 

It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.” 

Melody Beattie

When May Kay Ash, founder of the billion dollar Mary Kay business, started her business, she had a goal to write three thank you notes a night. This practice not only expressed her gratitude to the people with whom she met and with whom she did business, but also allowed her to maintain a positive attitude all day long as she sought out people to whom she would send these thank you notes.

There is a magic in the attitude of gratitude.

Think about it, having the attitude of gratitude can shape your thinking and experiences.  As you are looking for someone or something for which to be grateful, THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO NOTICE, people doing good and the good things happening in your life daily!

How do I know this to be true?  I have always been a letter writer.  I was pretty good at writing greeting cards to thank people for things they did but I was also very good at writing letters to complain about something if I felt I had been served unjustly by a business or some situation.  After using SendOutCards and following the goal to write a heartfelt greeting card a day this is what happened to me:

 First, as I wrote a greeting card expressing how I appreciated someone, I had good feelings as I thought about the ability to brighten the day of the person getting the greeting card.  It didn’t take much time before I realized that I was the one benefiting from this simple process.  Of course, the person getting the greeting card feels good also and I have had some many amazing responses to the greeting cards.  I also realized that the energy to write a letter of complaint was draining, re-living negative, angry emotions all over again as I wrote.  So, sometimes when I have not received good service and am tempted to write a letter of complaint now, I stop and think of what business has served me exceptionally and write a note of gratitude instead.  It feels so much better!

Second, the best part of my goal is that I am looking for the positive or to notice someone doing something nice.  It has changed my outlook.  I LOVE the feeling.  And all this from a greeting card company who, when I first heard of how SendOutCards worked I said, “A greeting card written from your computer?  It won’t have the same impact.”  NOT TRUE!  Even as strong of a greeting card writer as I had been, I would have not had the experiences I have enjoyed if I faced the many obstacles and cost of sending greeting cards the traditional way.  I LOVE sending a REAL greeting card in the mail with the ease of doing it from my computer and being able to personalize it even more with my own photos!!!

I invite you to join with me and take a 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge. Send out at least one heartfelt greeting card a day expressing appreciation to someone you would like to thank.  It could be something you observed that day or to someone for whom you wish to express gratitude for the part they have played in your life.  This costs about a $1.00 a day.  If you send out at least one greeting card a day expressing appreciation for 30 days and you don't see a positive impact in your life I will refund your $30!

Let me know if you accept this challenge!  You will be glad you did!  It is a nice way to live.

Gracias, danke, merci . . .whatever language is spoken, “thank you” frequently expressed will cheer your spirit, broaden your friendships, and lift your lives to a higher pathway as you journey towards perfection.  There is a simplicity, even a sincerity, when “thank you” is spoken.  Thomas S. Monson

Happy Card Sending!