For Services Rendered

Send a letter to someone in local law enforcement, the Coast Guard, or serving overseas that gives thanks for their hard work and dedication to our country. It’s simple and will be greatly appreciated. Go to LetsSayThanks.com for inspiration.

Good Karma

Holding the elevator: a simple yet kind idea. If you are inside an elevator and see someone

approaching as the doors close, hold the doors open to let them in. You might make a nice

connection and the person will appreciate this gesture. Rack up those karma points.

Show a Little Tenderness

Let public workers know that they are doing a good job. When you see a fire truck, ambulance, school bus, or police car, go ahead and thank the workers inside for their hard work. Whether internally thought or externally voiced, this appreciation goes a long way.

Glad Days

Let someone know that you appreciate having him or her in your life. Sometimes we forget how good it feels to be appreciated; yet we know how lousy it feels to be unappreciated. Go ahead and tell someone how thankful you are for his or her presence; it will only make you closer.

Love the Ones You’re With

I have seen this excellent exercise put into practice at work, family reunions, and dinner parties. It never fails to bring a group of people closer, and it brings out the best in anyone. Call everyone to attention and say you want to acknowledge your appreciation for the group. Time your moment well-whenever there is a lull in conversation would be best and never at the beginning of a get-together.

Here are some examples:

  “What I appreciate about Julian is his humility; he is brilliant but never showy.”

  “What I appreciate about Leslie is her kindness and generosity. She helped me out when I was in a bad        way. I will always be grateful to her for that.”

Offer a positive appreciation for each person and encourage others to do the same. Talk about a turnaround! This can turn stormy skies blue in five minutes flat.

For Services Rendered

Send a letter to someone in local law enforcement, the Coast Guard, or serving overseas that gives thanks for their hard work and dedication to our country. It’s simple and will be greatly appreciated. Go to LetsSayThanks.com for inspiration.

Good Karma

Holding the elevator: a simple yet kind idea. If you are inside an elevator and see someone approaching as the doors close, hold the doors open to let them in. You might make a nice connection and the person will appreciate this gesture. Rack up those karma points. 

Glad Days

Let someone know that you appreciate having him or her in your life. Sometimes we forget how good it feels to be appreciated; yet we know how lousy it feels to be unappreciated. Go ahead and tell someone how thankful you are for his or her presence; it will only make you closer.

Good Karma

Holding the elevator: a simple yet kind idea. If you are inside an elevator and see someone approaching as the doors close, hold the doors open to let them in. You might make a nice connection and the person will appreciate this gesture. Rack up those karma points.

Acknowledge Excellence

    Did you have a helpful or enthusiastic waiter at the last restaurant you went to? Call and tell the manager about the great experience you had. Do you still think about a college professor that impacted you? Write them a letter to thank them. Many jobs are thankless jobs, so remember how good it feels to be thought of and appreciated, even years later. Also, telling your friends and family about your good experiences with these people can help their business flourish.

Glad Days

    Let someone know that you appreciate having him or her in your life. Sometimes we forget how good it feels to be appreciated; yet we know how lousy it feels to be unappreciated. Go ahead and tell someone how thankful you are for his or her presence; it will only make you closer.

Mindful Memo

    Write a note of gratitude to the people in your everyday life who make a difference-the mailman, a grocery clerk, or the greeter at the mall. Tell your friends about their great service so their businesses can grow. Just by paying attention to those who can so easily go unnoticed (especially if your smartphone is glued to your hand), you can enrich each other’s lives a little each day.

Be More Thoughtful

    You know your coworker works really hard and can come in a bit bedraggled at the end of an arduous week. Why not walk up to her, say, “Good Morning!,” and hand her a vitamin-rich protein smoothie or fresh hand-pressed juice?

Love Your Mother

    Mother's Day is all about love, so shouldn't have to be only once a year. Celebrate your mother today and every day. Make her feel special and loved by taking her out to lunch or a mani/pedi. Spending time together will make every moment a fond memory you two can cherish for a long time. For your friends who may have lost their mother, check in with them. Spread the love far and wide so everyone can have that holiday magic.

For Services Rendered

    Send a letter to someone in local law enforcement, the Coast Guard, or serving overseas that gives thanks for their hard work and dedication to our country. It’s simple and will be greatly appreciated. Go to LetsSayThanks.com for inspiration.

I Just Called To Say I Love You

    Call your parents (or whoever raised you) and thank them for everything they did for you!

Love and Lattes

    Leave a tip and a little thank-you note in the tip jar at your favorite coffee or ice cream shop. Many of us remember the days when we had to work retail or hospitality while in high school or college. The staff is working hard, so show your appreciation for your latte and their positive attitude with a dollar or two. I have put in little “good job” notes in the tip jar at my local Peet’s Coffee & Tea. I think good work should be acknowledged and people should know they are appreciated (and so should their boss!). I have made lifelong friends at the two Peet’s I have frequented and it is nice to see them across the counter every morning. Those relationships all began with four little words: “How are you today?”

Shower the People You Love with Love

After a wedding or party, donate all the flowers to a nursing home or hospital. Alternately, take them to your place of work and fill the entire office with beauty and love.

Learn the Language of Kindness

    Teach the English language abroad! With programs all over the world, you can choose which country you want to teach in. Often, housing is provided by a host family-or you can live on your own. Usually prior teaching experience is not required, though you can earn a certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL). Visit interexchange.org for more information.

Celebrate World Teachers Day

    Teaching others is hard work and can be a thankless job. Whether you are a student or have kids in school, approach a teacher and tell them what a great job they are doing. AdoptAClassroom.org goes to the head of the class in my book for the good work they do: it gives teachers a hand by providing needed classroom materials so that students can succeed.

    It is estimated that more than 15 million children don’t have the resources they need to do well in school. Teachers spend more than $1 billion a year stocking their own classrooms due to a lack of funding in schools. Supporting K-12th grade students in public, private, and charter schools, AdoptAClassroom.org makes it easy for donors to provide funding to classrooms throughout America. Teachers register their classrooms and needs online; donors discover classrooms through simple search tools, and make targeted contributions. Their goal is to connect donors with every classroom in the country. A-plus!