1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:07,560 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:14,000 Speaker 1: Good Morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:18,880 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to write a gratitude letter. Writing this 4 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:21,479 Speaker 1: letter and sharing it with the person you're grateful for 5 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:24,640 Speaker 1: is a good way to make a happier holiday season. 6 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 1: A few episodes ago, I described an exercise from Martin 7 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:33,600 Speaker 1: Seligman's book Flourish about recording what went well each day. 8 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:38,960 Speaker 1: Today's tip about another gratitude practice from Flourish can help 9 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:41,280 Speaker 1: us connect with the people who've made a big difference 10 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:46,640 Speaker 1: in our lives. Seligman proposes writing something called a gratitude letter, 11 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:51,080 Speaker 1: and here's how to do it. First, think about someone 12 00:00:51,159 --> 00:00:53,600 Speaker 1: who has been kind to you or who has made 13 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:56,680 Speaker 1: an important impact on your life, but who you haven't 14 00:00:56,720 --> 00:01:00,959 Speaker 1: really thanked. Write that person a thank you letter. Describe 15 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 1: what they did and how it has influenced you. Second, 16 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:09,199 Speaker 1: and here's where the practice gets a little unusual. Rather 17 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:12,640 Speaker 1: than sending the letter in the mail hand, deliver the 18 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:15,840 Speaker 1: letter and read it aloud to the person you want 19 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:19,920 Speaker 1: to thank. Now, you may be thinking that this sounds complicated, 20 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:22,959 Speaker 1: especially if the person doesn't live next door, and might 21 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:27,440 Speaker 1: feel a little awkward. Maybe so talking about feelings is hard, 22 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:31,600 Speaker 1: even if they're good feelings. But here's why he suggests it. 23 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:35,720 Speaker 1: By being vulnerable and telling someone what they have meant 24 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:40,479 Speaker 1: to you in person and at length, you are demonstrating 25 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:43,560 Speaker 1: their importance to you and how much you appreciate them. 26 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:47,080 Speaker 1: And just imagine how the person you think is going 27 00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:50,720 Speaker 1: to feel. Most likely, he or she will feel happy 28 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:53,920 Speaker 1: and proud to have had such a positive impact on you. 29 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:57,960 Speaker 1: The person will feel honored by your time and your 30 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 1: words and openness, and probably closer to you too. You 31 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:06,040 Speaker 1: might also imagine how you are going to feel grateful 32 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:09,519 Speaker 1: for how that person has influenced your life, connected to them, 33 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 1: and bolstered by all these good feelings. Now. I know 34 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:16,079 Speaker 1: this might sound a bit like common sense that thank 35 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 1: you notes make both writer and recipient feel better, but 36 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:22,519 Speaker 1: as a research psychologist, Seligman did more than just imagine 37 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:25,960 Speaker 1: how writing gratitude letters would make people feel. He and 38 00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:29,360 Speaker 1: his colleagues studied the effects and found that writing and 39 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:34,440 Speaker 1: delivering gratitude letters left participants feeling significantly better than a 40 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:38,480 Speaker 1: control group. For a month, those who wrote gratitude letters 41 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:42,919 Speaker 1: reported more happiness and fewer symptoms of depression, and given 42 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 1: how many people can feel out of sorts during the holidays, 43 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:49,480 Speaker 1: I'm a big fan of anything that can make people 44 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:52,720 Speaker 1: happy into the new year. So who do you have 45 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:55,799 Speaker 1: to thank? Maybe it's a teacher or a neighbor you 46 00:02:55,840 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 1: knew when you were a child, someone who valued you, 47 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:03,079 Speaker 1: understood you, nudge you to follow your dreams. Or perhaps 48 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:05,680 Speaker 1: you'd like to thank a professional mentor who helped you 49 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:08,519 Speaker 1: earlier in your career. Or maybe it's a parent or 50 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:11,120 Speaker 1: aunt or uncle who helped you during your early days 51 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:14,640 Speaker 1: of parenting. Or maybe it's a friend who offered you 52 00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:18,560 Speaker 1: counsel during a difficult time. So today, try writing down 53 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:20,359 Speaker 1: the names of the people in your life you are 54 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 1: most grateful for. Linger over this list, take a moment 55 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:29,400 Speaker 1: to recall specific memories with each person, consider how they 56 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:32,640 Speaker 1: impacted you. Then choose one of these people to thank. 57 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 1: Write a letter sharing your memories, describing what the person 58 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:41,120 Speaker 1: meant to you, and expressing your gratitude. Then make a 59 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 1: visit to read your letter and say thank you in person. 60 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:46,880 Speaker 1: You may feel so good after your visit that you'll 61 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 1: decide to write gratitude letters to the other people on 62 00:03:49,640 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 1: your list as well. If you do this writing and 63 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 1: delivering a gratitude letter. Let me know how it goes 64 00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 1: for you and the person you think. You can email 65 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 1: me at Before Breakfast podcast at iHeart media dot com. 66 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:08,120 Speaker 1: In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening and 67 00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:17,359 Speaker 1: here's to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody, 68 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:19,680 Speaker 1: I'd love to hear from you. You can send me 69 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:23,359 Speaker 1: your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with 70 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:27,800 Speaker 1: me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast pod 71 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:32,839 Speaker 1: that's b E the number four, then Breakfast p o D. 72 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 1: You can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast 73 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:40,000 Speaker 1: podcast at i heeart media dot com. That Before Breakfast 74 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:42,680 Speaker 1: is spelled out with all the letters. Thanks so much, 75 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 1: I look forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is 76 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:54,280 Speaker 1: a production of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts from 77 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:58,280 Speaker 1: my heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 78 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:00,359 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite chips.