When was the last time you said “thank you?” And really meant it?

When was the last time someone said “thank you” to you? And you felt the gratitude in their statement?

We say “thank you” fairly regularly for the little things - someone held the door for you; the waitress brought you water; your kid gave you a new drawing; your loved one refilled your coffee… And those “thank yous” seem almost automatic, don’t they?

But what about the big things? When was the last time you thanked your significant other for all the ways they make your life better? When was the last time you thanked your kids for sharing their life with you - including the hugs, smiles, and adventures? When was the last time you thanked a friend for truly being there for you when no one else was? When was the last time you thanked your body for carrying you through life - for allowing you to enjoy all the blessings that surround you each day?

When was the last time you said “thank you” - and really, truly, meant it?

Sometimes, when we’re going through our days keeping our head down, focused on the tasks, obligations, and responsibilities that MUST or SHOULD get done everyday - we become overwhelmed and exhausted with life. We begin to see everything as inconvenience or annoyance. We feel stuck. Uninspired. We feel like there’s no longer choices to be made… Life is what it is.

And it’s really hard to feel grateful when we get to that place.

But what if…? What if we started with some easy wins in gratitude to start bringing a little acknowledgement and appreciation back into our days?

What if… by noticing the good around us, we could spark a little joy again? Not only for ourselves - but those around us, too?

Gratitude is a sneaky gift… When we feel gratitude, we feel joy. When we share gratitude and appreciation, we feel joy. And we share that joy with the person we are appreciating. When they feel appreciated - they appreciate others. Whoa! It’s spreading…!!!!

We can start our practice of gratitude by being thankful for our basic needs - home, water, food, air, family, etc… Then, we often move on to things we liked about our day: a favorite song, a good book, a nice dinner, a coffee date with a friend… But to really begin to cultivate and grow our gratitude - we need to begin to notice and acknowledge those around us who make our life better.

Did the cashier pack your groceries just right today? Thank them! Did the mailperson wave at the kids and make them feel important? Thank them! Did your kid put their dirty dishes in the sink? Thank them! Did your partner give you a break by putting the kids to bed? Thank them!

Whoever crosses your path today… see if you can find a reason to say “thank you.”

I guarantee it will catch them by surprise! They’ll feel shy and awkward accepting your thanks. And you’ll smile and feel all warm and fuzzy.

That feeling? That’s a spark of Joy.

When we live our days in a constant state of gratitude - joy becomes automatic. Positivity seeps into our days. Our mental and emotional energy increase. It seems silly, I know - but it’s scientifically proven.

Gratitude. Thank you. Try it. As many times as you can fit into your day. Treat it as an experiment and see what happens! My guess? Spark. Spark. Spark!

And for now… I want to thank YOU for being here! For showing up for yourself in all kinds of amazing ways. For trying new things to bring energy, joy, and a sense of possibility back into your life. For sharing that joy with others. For making the world a better place, one day at a time.

Thank you, my friend.