How to Write an Awesome Thank You Note

Man, we live in a thankless world! Hold a door open for a stranger? They walk on by. Stop for someone wanting to cross the street and they're not in a crosswalk? They take their time and mosey on through the street like you owe them something. Buy someone a gift that you spent time and love picking out? Not a single acknowledgement.

Hey!  DON’T BE THAT GUY!

Saying thank you is one of the easiest and most gratifying things one can do with pen and paper. Just taking a moment to show appreciation can change the entire way another human being sees the world that day and gives them a sense of joy.  Here are some easy and important tips when writing your super awesome and wickedly heartfelt thank you note:

1. Email is nice, but hand written is better. Email is convenient and easy, we know. However, a real physical note shows time, effort, and real appreciation. If an email message is the dollar menu at your favorite fast food place, an actual physical card is a five-star dining experience. 
2. Mention what you are thanking them for. It could be their help cleaning up after a party. It could be a gift. It could just be their support and love during a rough time. Whatever it is, make sure it gets mentioned in the card. 
3. Describe how it will better your life or how you will use it. If you received a physical present, describe how it will get used. People love to imagine their gift actually being utilized and it will make the gift giver feel the love.
4. Be Timely Okay, sure. The traditional manners book says that you have up to a year to acknowledge some gifts and still be considered ‘timely’.  Well, those rules were written nearly a century ago. Times have changed and it is more important than ever to be on time. Send out a thank you note within a month of the occasion. Miss Manners might not agree, but Miss Manners also lived during a time when doctors thought cigarettes were healthy for us. Times change.

No matter how you do it – in a card, in a letter, or just a note – saying thanks is something that will better the day of someone who thought highly enough of you to impart their own kindness. Get out the pen and paper and say thanks. Don’t perpetuate this thankless world.