Say thank you, be happier.

Search “how to be happier” on the internet and you’ll get 139,000,000 results in .61 seconds. To save you the search, I’d like to offer a simple suggestion (backed by research) that you already know how to do.

Say “thank you.” To yourself, to your friends, to your professors, coworkers, your Dance Marathon committee, your loved ones, the barista – anyone.

It’s that simple.

According to Harvard Health, “gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness.” It can also “improve your health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.” Best of all, it costs nothing and you can start whenever you want.

A few ways to feel happier by expressing your appreciation:

• Write a thank you note (or text or email) – it not only makes you happier but can deepen your relationships with others and connect you more closely.
• Write (or make a mental note) of a few things that you are grateful for each day or each week. When you are feeling down or overwhelmed, returning to this list can help you refocus.

[If you’re not sure where to start, Jimmy Fallon is famously good at writing thank you notes.]

Saying thank you has benefits beyond just our internal satisfaction. It can help build team cohesion, motivate people, and make them feel like their contributions make a difference (Harvard Health, 2019).

Expressing your gratitude in person, with thank you notes, or via exec board GroupMe, is a great way to start sharing your appreciation with your leadership team. You can also find great tools on DonorDrive to use to help your donors and participants feel appreciated. Get started with these quick how-to guides.

Take your gratitude to the next level:

Join us on 11/18 at 3pm for Stewardship for Retention the November Miracle Network Dance Marathon Webinar. Register today.