The focus of Act Happy Week is to educate the public about purposeful actions you can take to create chemical shifts in your body that drive Positive Emotions. Here is today's exercise:
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DAY 5: SAY THANK YOU
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The story is told of an old woman sitting on a park bench. She felt old and alone and useless, and thought of suicide. After awhile, a young man came and sat on the other end of the bench. For a time they fed the birds together. When the young man went to leave, he thanked her for a lovely afternoon. The old woman realized that she did, in fact, matter to others. She went home determined to push forward.
Photo Credit: Patrick Hoesly via Compfight
When you express gratitude, you experience the pleasure of giving a gift to another human being and the excitement of watching them open it and enjoy it.
Send a Thank You Note. For anything. For a favor, for a gift, or just for being in your life.
Offer appreciation to someone who helped you in the past week. Call them or go over to their desk and do this before the end of the day. YOU will benefit from the experience as much or more than than they will!
Write down what you are grateful for. Create a Gratitude List. Writing it down stimulates different chemistry in the body versus just thinking it.
Speak it. Say “thank you” out loud as often as you notice others. Say Thank You to your server each time they visit your table. Say Thank You to the clerk who serves you and the bagger who handles your groceries. And yes, even say “Thank You for the Offer” to the telemarketer who interrupts your dinner (it’s OK to hang up… just respect them as you do).
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In the Workplace
Take five minutes daily to generate three appreciative conversations with team members. Offer thanks for something very specific that you saw them do this week.
Remember, Leadership is not about a title – anyone can be a leader who makes others feel loved and appreciated for their contributions.