When’s the last time you sent someone a handwritten thank you note?
A real pen meets paper thank you note that maybe — just maybe — you even mailed via snail mail?
And when’s the last time you received a handwritten thank you note from someone?
With texts, emails, and phones…we all know that handwriting is losing popularity…
But does heartfelt gratitude have to leave with it?
One man’s attempt to turn his life around with gratitude…
I started reading a book today…
It’s a book that my dear friend Jaclyn got for me on my Kindle because she said, “It’s so Mona.”
She knows me pretty darn well, so I was really excited when I finally got to sit down and get into it.
It’s called 365 Thank Yous: The Year a Simple Act of Daily Gratitude Changed My Life
Jaclyn was right. This book is “so Mona” and I am so loving it.
The premise?
An unhappy, hating-his-life guy gets a thank you note and realizes how seldom he’s thanked others and what a small part gratitude has played in his life.
Then, in an inspired moment during a hike all by himself in the hills of Los Angeles, he decides that his life will be better if he writes 365 thank you notes over the course of the next year. The book follows him through his journey with pen, thank you cards, and gratitude – and the effects it has on his life and the lives of those around him.
Pretty cool, right?
Well, tonight I was tweeting about this book and a few new friends chimed in on the topic…
They were saying that thank you cards like this were a lost art and that it sounded like a great idea…
(I, couldn’t help but agree.)
Then, even though I wasn’t hiking on a mountain in Los Angeles like the author of the book was when he had his idea to write all the thank you notes, I had a wee small idea about writing thank you notes…
So I asked my new Twitter friends if they’d like to join me in sending a handwritten thank you card this week.
Just one.
Immediately 3 tweets came back from @CPasquella @bemadthen and @elleepiphany :
“I’m in!”
So I extend the question to you, dear friend…
Are you in?
Would you like to join us in this gratitude challenge and send a handwritten thank you card to someone this week?
If you’re in, leave a comment below to let the universe know you’re doin’ it!
Then start watching for someone in your life you can write a sweet thank you card to…
Who knows the incredible blessings and goodness that will come your way as a result of this gratitude and kindness…
We’ll check back in again next Sunday to share our thank you note stories…
Oh! And if you have a blog, share the news of what you’re up to with your handwritten thank you note and encourage your readers to get involved too so the gratitude can keep rippling out into our beautiful world…
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
This is such a WONDERFUL idea, Mona! I’m in and would love to take it even further to do 1 (or more) a week for the next year. I’m a huge advocate for paying it forward and this is right up my ally!
I love your adaptation of it Christine…a thank you card a week is very reasonable for most anyone’s lifestyle and I think it’s great that you’re gonna go for it!
I’m in! sendoutcards to the rescue….
Awesome, Sarita! Does sendoutcards help you send cards that you’ve written with your own (nicely manicured) hands and colorful Stabilo marker pens?
Hi Mona,
I’m so glad you loved the book as much as I hoped you would.
As you know, I started this a couple weeks ago and thought I would share a few things I’ve learned so far.
1) While I type the cards ahead of time to be clear in what I’ll say, I approach the writing and addressing of the envelope as a meditation/prayer.
2) By being so open with people about how much I appreciate them I am allowing myself to be more vulnerable.
3) It really is the thought that counts. If one sentence is all it takes, that’s fine. The card I wrote to the night nurses at the hospital for my post-surgery overnight simply read: “A big thank you for managing my post-op recovery in a way that keep me out of pain and improving every hour.”
4) Decorating the envelopes can be the most fun part. I never thought I’d have a selection of USPS stamps and I love putting stars around the person’s name.
Egads! I totally thought I responded to you and gave all sorts of lovin’ to your added details here. Must have been writing itself in my mind…
It’s so cool to hear about how you took the idea and went with it and your experience of it. Thank you so much for sharing. You are the awesome. xo
So how did it go my lovelies? Did you send a thank you note out to someone? What did you notice?