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‘Thank you’ – underused and undervalued

Thank you are underused and undervalued words, which can make a significant difference to our daily lives.

It makes a connection. We are wired to be connected.

As human beings a natural expectation is to be acknowledged and recognised, no matter how trivial our contribution. We are made to communicate, to be part of a community. We want to be part of something. We are not made to be alone, yet there are people who feel alone even though they are surrounded by people.

From the first ‘tahhhh’ from a baby, through to the mumbled teenage ‘thanks’, then we grow up and then what? As children we are taught about please and thank you and when that is nurtured, it becomes part of your make up. It becomes part of your day to day life. It becomes part of your being. Yet as many people grow older or reach a certain height of success, please and thank you, is suddenly not part of the daily grind.

We reach the point where we accept things will be done for us, due to our position or rank. We think people owe us. People around us just have to do whatever is required even though saying thank you would make the world of difference to someone’s day. Saying thank you does not mean a sign of weakness. Leaders are known to acknowledge their crew, their department, their tribe. Whatever you want to call the group, they are not demoralised. They are energised to do more, do better, yet not many people understand this. And it starts with two words. Thank you. That’s it!

Thank you is usually the first sign of recognition. Of acknowledgement. When someone says thank you to you, how do you feel? Doesn’t it make you feel just a little brighter? Even if you are the hardest or coldest person you know, thank you will jolt you, probably because you didn’t expect it in the first place. Thank you creates a reaction. Unexpected. Warm. Whatever feeling it evokes, it does cause ‘something’ to happen.

It’s two simple words, but strong enough to make a difference. Strong enough to stop someone in their tracks. Strong enough to motivate someone. Special enough to make someone feel they actually mean something. Incredible enough to make some one stick it out for the long haul. Or are these two simple words the chink in your armour? It works both ways doesn’t it?

Do we thank our clients? Do we praise our clients? Do we acknowledge their efforts even in the most trivial way? Feed positivity and we will get positivity. Yes there will be the odd one who won’t, (they are ALWAYS lurking around – just ignore them) but one negative person against a positive gang? What do we have to lose by saying ‘thank you’?

So if thank you is so simple to say, why do so many people find it so difficult to do? Make a decision today, that TODAY you will just say ‘thank you’, once more than normal. And if you haven’t done it in a long time, make TODAY the day that you will say to someone, anyone, just a simple powerful thank you. And mean it. And if today is too quick for you to change, well then… if you really have to…. do it tomorrow.

Thank you, to you, for reading my thank you note. Pay it forward and make a difference to someone else’s day.