Several years ago, at a particularly difficult time in my life, a friend recommended that I make a list of everybody who had made me feel special or loved in my life, even those I no longer spoke to. She told me to write a letter of gratitude to each of those people, so everyday for a month I wrote thank you cards - some long letters and others short little notes as simple as "thank you for lunch that one day."
This exercise made me realize I wasn't as alone as I felt,
and I ended up sending out all the letters, even to people I hadn't spoken to in a long time! My friends and family that received the notes started to reach out and tell me that they had never noticed how their simple acts of kindness over the years had made such an impact on my life. They in turn felt connected and valued from being told this, and relationships that had been lost over the years suddenly had a second opportunity to grow and reconnect.
I challenge you to do this for the next 7 days, and if it helps you feel better, keep going!
I'm sure you can think of somebody who made you feel special, loved, or valued at some point in time. And if you can't, try reaching out to people you know or don't know, and doing something nice for them - after all, giving is the best gift! Give your local grocer a thank you card, call that nurse you know, reach out to people who cannot stay home and let them know you appreciate them. #stayhome #supportessentialworkers #gratitude #thankyou