Two Powerful Words

This is an anonymous thank you card
we recently received - how sweet!

Thank You for taking time to read this. Thank You for leaving a comment. Thank You for all you do. Thank You for your bravery. Thank You for your assistance. Thank You for being You! Thank You for putting up with me! It doesn't matter what you follow these words with, the two most powerful words in each sentence are these short words:

THANK YOU

Years back I wrote an article about the art of accepting a Thank You because so many of us are uncomfortable when someone shows gratitude for something we have done. The gist of that article was you should just say "you are welcome" and not try to return the gracious compliment...but I digress...

At all times, but especially during difficult times, it is very important to say Thank You and mean it. Some people love helping others. When you help someone who is truly thankful, it feels really great! When you help someone who doesn't acknowledge you, it feels sort of like an insult. I know for me, it takes the wind right out of my sails. Even if I do something anonymously, if I find out the person wasn't at all thankful it makes me wonder ... should I have done that? should I have done more? should I have helped someone else instead? etc...

Whether you are a struggling small business thanking your patrons, a flourishing corporation thanking your employees, a neighbor thanking someone for a helping hand, the power of gratitude is something that can't be always be measured in dollars or cents. I was helping a friend the other day and he told me a story about something that happened 10 years ago. He helped his sister at her job and the owner of the business sent him a thank you card. He still has that card and it means the world to him. That simple gesture has made him a better person. He continues to help people, but he also wants them to feel the same way he did when he received that note, so he is one of the first folks to say thank you to someone who helps him.

That simple thank you card over a decade ago has allowed him to go on and spread the gratitude to others. It's a domino effect. I have a stack of thank you cards in my drawer, some in the glove box of my car, several on the bulletin board in my office, and another dozen in my home office. They make me feel good on days when I wonder if it's all worth it, and they are a constant reminder how two little words can make a world of difference in someone's life.

Do you have a signature way you say thank you? As an author, it's vitally important to thank your reviewers, followers, and friends - how do you use these two powerful words to strengthen your brand and show gratitude?

Has someone touched your life with a thank you card or other way they showed gratitude and appreciation?

Leave your comments here! In our current world, it's important to share the positives and we would love to hear from you!

THANK YOU!

Hugs,
~Crystal

and now...a little more about me...

Shown from left to right:
Delphine riding Honey
Mr. Otto holding Eudora
Crystal riding Marv.
Thank you Forward Farm, LLC 

Crystal is the office manager, council secretary, financial secretary, and musician at her church, birth
mother, Auntie, babywearing mama, business owner, active journaler, writer and blogger, Blog Tour Manager with WOW! Women on Writing, Press Corp teammate for the DairyGirl Network, Unicorn Mom Ambassador, as well as a dairy farmer. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband and their five youngest children, two dogs, four little piggies, a handful of cats and kittens, horses Darlin' and Joker, pony Miss Maggie May, and over 250 Holsteins.

You can find Crystal milking cows, riding horses, and riding unicorns (not at the same time), taking the ordinary and giving it a little extra (making it extraordinary), blogging and reviewing books here, and at her own blog - Crystal is dedicated to turning life's lemons into lemonade and she has never (not once) been accused of being normal!