The Art of Giving Thanks
When was the last time you said ‘thank you’ and really meant it? Is saying a thoughtful ‘thank you’ a lost common courtesy? When was the last time you received a ‘thank you’ card? It’s the season of “Thanks” giving here in the US. As I’m reflecting on my ‘thanks’, I’ve been paying attention to my use of ‘thank you’.
Grazie.
Growing up in an Italian household, I would often hear the Italian word for thank you, “Grazie”. It was quickly followed by “Prego”. Prego is the Italian word for ‘you are welcome’ (not the US version of commercial spaghetti sauce). I remember when I was little being corrected to ‘say thank you’. Today, if ‘thank you’ is said at all, it seems to be more of a reflex? Saying ‘thank you’ is an automatic response. So, if something is said reflexively, is that really being thankful or courteous? How often do you hear ‘thank you’ at work?
History.
When did we start saying ‘thank you’? The root of the word dates back to Latin, Saxon, Norse, and Germanic languages in the 15th or 16th century. Many believe the derivation comes from the word to mean ‘think’, as in “I will remember what you did for me”.
I will remember?
It’s been 6 years where I find and post (5) things to be grateful for each day (I’ve used my personal Facebook page, and recently switched to my business page). I wrote about my gratitude journey in a previous blog post. While I’m mindful of the people, things and events that I’m grateful for, the quality of my ‘thank yous’, needs some work. When I reflected on my gratitude practice, I found there were instances where I was truly thankful. However, I didn’t express my thanks, at the moment, to the degree that matched my level of thankfulness.
Reflex to Present Moment Awareness:
- Acknowledge how you feel. We spend a vast majority of the time ‘in our heads’ and as a result, we don’t know how we actually feel. Adopt some mindfulness practices to help you have present moment awareness. Here are some suggestions with a helpful infographic: mindfulness practices at work.
- Look them in the eye. Saying a meaningful thank you can be a vulnerable act. Try going there. Look them in the eye and expand on what it is that you are thanking them for. I mean, what’s the best that could happen?
- Don’t say it, if you don’t mean it. If you get selective with your use of ‘thank you’, the likelihood of feeling thankful increases over time. You may find that you are truly appreciative of many things throughout your day. How wonderful is that?
- Yes, use sincere thank yous at work! It goes a LONG way to use meaningful thank yous in the workplace. Better yet, write an email or old school thank you card. Find one person in your day or week that is deserving of a ‘thank you’. For those of you with assistants, start this practice with them.
- Take action. If saying ‘thank you’ isn’t in your comfort zone, then try doing something kind or nice for the person you want to thank. In addition to writing a card or email, small gifts or acts of service go a long way.
We only have a finite amount of time on this planet, and you can choose how to spend that time. THANK YOU for spending a few minutes with me today. What or who are you thankful for?
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I wish you much success in your career quest. Yours in balance, learning, growth, and harmony. – Melissa DeLuca, CEO
