Tuesday, January 18, 2022

Thank You for Your Thank You

Next time you’re given the chance to say thank you, make sure you do so—and be extra thankful for the benefits it brings

By André van Heerden, Communications Director

CLAC recently ran a national survey for all those whom we represent to gather feedback about the union’s various services. We are going to use the results to try to improve how we represent our members.

Some members also took part in two focus groups where they were asked more in-depth questions. Those who participated received a $75 Marks gift card as a thank you for their time.

I was pleasantly surprised when one of the members emailed us to thank us for the Marks card. He also thanked us for the opportunity to give feedback.

I’m a big believer in the power and good that can come from a simple thank you. It recognizes the contribution of someone else. It can further connect us to someone we know well, or be a simple introduction to someone we’ve just met.

It can also help guide future behaviour.

Recently, I heard someone grumbling that they no longer hold the door for people because no one ever says thank you. While I could argue that they’re holding the door for the wrong reason, I think all of us can understand the sentiment.

We like to be acknowledged when we’ve done something nice for someone else.

At the end of all of my soccer practices, I tell the players to say thank you to their coaches. Yes, it feels odd that I’m also telling them to thank me.

Over the course of a season, they don’t have to be reminded anymore and do it naturally. It’s a sign of respect and a reminder to the players that even a tough practice is a privilege to attend and something to be thankful for. Not everyone gets the opportunity to participate, and the coaches don’t have to be there.

My wife has been really good at getting our children to write thank you notes. They usually drag their feet to get it done, but they all felt very good when a distant aunt came to visit and she commented how much those notes meant to her.

While a thank you can certainly make the recipient feel good, a Time magazine article noted that “research has shown time and time again that being grateful is good for your health, mood, and general well-being. In fact, it’s one of the easiest things you can do to increase your mental health.”

Dr. Christian Jarrett, a contributing writer to the Science of Us, talked about a brain-scanning study published in NeuroImage, “which brings us a little closer to understanding why these [gratitude] exercises have these effects. The results suggest that even months after a simple, short gratitude writing task, people’s brains are still wired to feel extra thankful.

“The implication is that gratitude tasks work, at least in part, because they have a self-perpetuating nature: the more you practice gratitude, the more attuned you are to it and the more you can enjoy its psychological benefits.”

So saying thank you is also really good to those who say it!

One last thing to note: saying thank you can sometimes help make you stand out. I will remember the member who emailed us his thank you. The fellow grumbling about holding the door open would remember that rare person who did say thanks. My distant aunt remembered our kids’ thank you notes because not everyone did the same.

So next time you’re given the chance to say thank you, make sure you do so—and be extra thankful for the benefits it brings. Thank you again to those who participated in our survey!

Thank You for Your Thank You

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