Making 'Thank You' a Habit

Now that we're about halfway through National Thank You Month and a couple weeks into our New Year's resolutions, (keep it up!) we want to encourage saying 'Thank You' beyond just the month of January. Did you know it takes 66 days to form a habit? With that being said, how can we stick to this resolution (let alone our own personal resolutions)? Here a few tips to continue having 'Thank You' and gratitude as part of your daily routine.

1. Start Small! 
• You don't have to say 'Thank You' 100 times a day (maybe a future goal?). Find one or two things to explicitly say thank you for each day. Make a point to say it, write it, or creatively show it. You'll probably find that you have a lot more than two things to say 'Thank You' for. You can eventually work your way up to saying it more and more!
2. Write in a Gratitude Journal
• Bullet Journaling is becoming incredibly popular these days. It takes only a few minutes to write down a few quick things about your day, and it's a great opportunity to take the time to write down what you're thankful for! This could be that someone held the door open for you, it was extra sunny, or just positive things about your day in general. Looking at these bullet points helps you hold those moments a little bit closer, and it can boost your mood when you flip back through previous days. 
  
3. Volunteer, Give Back
• Take the time to do something for others - it's shown to help you also feel good about your own strengths! You can volunteer for various causes or keep it as simple as taking the time to listen to a friend, smile at someone you don't know, hold the door for somebody, and MORE. The list could go on and on! 
4. Schedule Spontaneity and Do it Regularly
• We all love receiving notes and gifts at random, and we can make saying 'Thank You' a random act! Turn this into a habit by scheduling that spontaneity into each day to go out of our way to appreciate someone. The big takeaway of this point is to do it regularly. Whether you're verbally saying 'Thank You' to someone, sending a gift, or finding joy in the small things of life - it's the mindset of being thankful. Take nothing for granted, and enjoy the little moments that make your day brighter. 
  

We can make saying 'Thank You' and expressing gratitude part of each and every day! We hope you continue to incorporate gratitude beyond this month. Again, it can be a small gesture or acknowledgement of someone - it's always the thought that counts.