Many of us are quick to criticise things we don’t like or address problems. But when it comes to showing gratitude for things we do like, we may not always be as vocal. Saying thank you and displaying appreciation through gifts can have many benefits. Below are just some of the great reasons to express gratitude more often.
Stronger relationships
Acknowledging the good deeds of others – whether you’re thanking someone for opening a door for you or giving a waiter a generous tip for good service – can help to strengthen relationships with these people. It shows that you value their behaviour and it encourages them to keep behaving that way around you. With friends and family members, it can be very important to show gratitude. If a friend always gives you a lift somewhere or a partner always makes you coffee in the morning and you never show gratitude, they may eventually feel like you’re taking advantage and may stop going out of their way to be nice.
Improved work morale
If you’re a business owner or manager, it’s very important to express gratitude to the people that work for you. If your employees feel that their good work is not acknowledged, they may lose motivation at work. This could lead to reduced productivity and possibly even a high turnover of staff. When you constantly express gratitude to your staff, it drives them to go the extra mile to keep pleasing you. Some of the best ways to show gratitude to individuals at work include praising employees in front of customers and rewarding employees for hard work with things like bonuses or extra time off. When it comes to expressing gratitude to a group of people there are many small gestures you can make – for example, check out LanSchool who made a nice thank you video for teacher appreciation week.
Reduced conflict
Showing gratitude to the people around you can help to reduce conflict. Not thanking people can show a lack of politeness and can give some people the false impression that you don’t like them. These people may then behave less politely towards you, which could encourage you both to be more aggressive to one another. This in turn can lead to more situations of conflict. Try to prevent this by regularly expressing gratitude to people around you.
Personal sense of wellbeing
Thanking people is itself a ‘good deed’ and can make us feel better about ourselves. It makes other people happy, which in turn makes us happy. Think about all the good deeds people have done for you that you never thanked them for and consider going out of your way to thank them. This could include thanking your parents for things they did well during your upbringing, your partner for all the small ways they help you or your friends for the support they may have offered in the past.
Better sleep quality
Some studies have found that people who are more grateful tend to also have better quality sleep. This is likely to be due to reduced stress – if you constantly have negative thoughts about other people, you’re likely to create more worries and keep yourself up at night. When you value the people around you, you create a greater sense of comfort. That isn’t to say that you should be wholly grateful to everyone in your life, but you certainly shouldn’t feel resentment towards everyone.