Making ‘thank you’ your regular reality.
The last week of school I wanted my students to be extremely comfortable with the concepts and topics that we had covered over the 18 week semester. Further, it was important to me that the students could look beyond the test and the multiple choice questions. I really hoped that they could apply the information on taxes, checking and savings accounts, and renting an apartment after graduating high school. Midway through the week, I had a rather shy student come up to me and in the most genuine voice say, “Thank you so much for reviewing with us this week, Mrs. Jamieson. I really appreciate all the time you have spent to do this.” It was a simple gesture, but meant a lot that he chose to say that. A simple thank you really is as easy as that!
My first year of teaching at my current school I felt like I was flying by the seat of my pants during parts of the semester. I started in the middle of the year and had very little prep time to get a classroom ready and activities prepared for class. I remember toward the end of the semester receiving a card in my mailbox. I opened that card to find a thank you note written from one of my students. He was thanking me for being his teacher. He wanted me to know that he thought I was doing a great job. It meant a lot to me to receive that note. I felt so lucky to have such a genuinely kind and appreciative student. And, to this day, I still have that note.
While those thank yous really inspire me and give new perspective, sending and giving thank yous is what really makes my heart happy. I love seeing others when they feel appreciated or surprised by a gesture of kindness. I recently went to a conference that had a small team that worked extremely hard to plan meaningful sessions. I could tell they worked long hours and had planned for months upon months. I sent a personal thank you card to each person on that team to show my genuine appreciation for the work they had done. So often we attend large events, galas, conferences, or fundraisers that caused a group (often small) to work their butts off to make it a phenomenal time for others. It is usually nice for someone to acknowledge their work and the time they spent to execute it.
Recently, I had a friend who was getting ready to leave the school I am at to start a new adventure. We were not close friends, in fact, I only knew him on a small level. Before he went back to his city life, I wanted him to know how much I appreciated meeting him and having him as an aide for the very short time that we worked together. He was delightfully surprised by the thank you, which is one of the best ways to thank someone! Lastly, I chose to take bagels and cream cheese from Panera to an office where I do a very small amount of contractual work. It’s a small group of very hard working individuals who are very kind and friendly toward me. I randomly thought it would be fun to surprise them to let them know that I see how hard they work each day. I got there with the bagels in hand and they were thrilled. The director came to me and said, “We have never had someone do something like that for us.” So, next time you have the chance to do something small, or to do something big, just do something to show appreciation and to thank others.
I hope these stories inspire you, motivate you, and cause you to surprise others with cards, food, or other ways that show appreciation for what they do. Let’s make sure that thank you is a always a reality. It will change your day by making the day of those around you better!
~jj
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#AlwaysChooseKindness