Have you ever held the door for someone and they did not say "thank you"? At my undergraduate university (shout out to Longwood!), that was unheard of. I went to a much larger university for graduate school, though, and saying "thank you" was not as common. I found myself irritated by the lack of courtesy over something so simple. Thank you really does go a long way. If saying "thank you" to someone holding a door for me is meaningful, then shouldn't I remember to say it for something even more meaningful?

I recently read an article that talks about each of the Myers-Briggs types and the love languages related to each one (if you have never heard of the five love languages, I encourage you to check it out). I am an ENFJ and read that the most common language for us is tied between quality time and words of affirmation. This got me thinking more about how much we affirm and acknowledge the value people bring to a given situation.

If you haven't been told this in a while, let me be the one to say it: Thank you. Thank you for being on this Earth and bringing such a unique perspective to how you view the world. Thank you for being brave, even when it is hard or scary. Thank you for having the sense of humor you have, because everyone needs to laugh and you can bring that to someone. Thank you for having the heart you have, because you bring something special and valuable to every situation.

It is easy to slip into a funk where it can be hard to see the good at times. I can speak from my own experience when I say that being thanked for even the smallest thing when I feel very stressed or overwhelmed can be more profound than any other time. It can bring me back to reality when my stress and anxiety are peaked, which helps me focus back on what is most important.

I encourage you to think about how you can show your gratitude to others. Is there someone in your life who seems like he or she could use a bit of acknowledgement for something they have done? Maybe your words will go much further than you may realize in the moment.

Recently, I have also heard about doing a thankful journal. This idea is where you journal at some point every day a list of things you're thankful for that particular day. I love the idea! I think it is something that could easily change your perspective—it makes you notice the small things that turn into the big things, too.

I am challenging myself to say thank you more and begin a thankful journal. If anyone would like to join, please do. Let me know how your perspective changes.