Please and Thank You

Please and Thank You!

By: Jodi Cross

In this day and age, I find myself wondering if anyone else heard those simple words of wisdom. It seems like good manners are hard to find.

In our house, we were required to send thank you notes after birthdays or even when someone went out of their way to help us.  Today, I send gifts relatives and don’t even get an acknowledgement text message. Have people become ungrateful?  Or are they just too busy to show the tiniest bit of appreciation?


Good manners are something best taught from a young age. Even before kids can write you can let them draw a picture and write the words thank you. As they get older, reinforce what appreciation means and use a few adjectives to describe how receiving something made them feel. Even something simple as thanking a person for thinking of you would suffice. Make it a habit every time they get a gift to follow up by sitting down and writing a thank you note.


Teach your children that each time they ask for something it should start or end with “Please”. Once this habit is formed it will come naturally, which is much easier than trying to reverse a bad habit later in life.


Here are some tips to help make “Thank You” notes more convenient:

  • Always keep a box of beautiful blank note cards in the house. When someone sends you a gift or does something nice for you, drop them a note.
  • Don’t get hung up on the perfect words, just keep it simple and short to show your appreciation.
  • When you travel or stay at someone’s house, carry a card and small token gift to leave behind as an immediate gesture of gratitude.
  • Purchase a note book that holds cards for special occasions, Hallmark has some lovely books that make it very handy to keep all your upcoming birthday cards, thank you notes and other special occasion cards in one place.
  • If a handwritten note is just not in the cards, be sure you call or at the very least text to say you received the gift. This at least assure they will think of you in the future and remember your grateful spirit.

Thank you notes can be treasured for years to come. Just recently I came across one from my late grandmother that I had kept and it was so meaningful to know that she had touched that note and crafted the words so long ago.  


I hope the spirit of gratitude fills your heart and in turn you take time to remember those who touch your life in a special way. As always, thank you for reading my column.

 

Jodi Cross is a marketing consultant, speaker and freelance writer and may be reached at www.www.crossnm.com or at jcross@crossnm.com


Who Have You Touched In This Life?

Who Have You Touched In This Life?

By: Jodi Cross 

When I was 11 years old, my family went on a vacation to Hawaii. As my brother, Lee would say, I was never the same after that trip. He was right, that trip opened up a whole to new world for me. A woman by the name of Rebecca Roberts from Robert’s Travel in Rochester, NY led the trip and her passion for what she did was truly inspiring.  I decided from that point on I was going to college for Travel and Hospitality and my passion for travel and adventure blossomed.

I am sure many of you can remember a turning point in your life or a person who touched you in a meaningful way.  Many names and faces flood my mind as I think of this topic. There was my grade school friend, Michelle who invited me to Circle C camp in NY, when I was 14. That camp introduced me a new way to see religion and a passion for horseback riding. I went on to be an accomplished rider and competed in shows. Another high school friend, Wendi, loyally defended me in a school fight when I was about to be beat up by the school bully. Her loyalty has remained true to this day and we still see each other frequently.

In my adult years, there was Paul, who encouraged me to continue my Landmark Forum training. This knowledge unlocked so many mental blocks for me it actually gave me to have the courage to start my own business.  

My husband Rich, continues to inspire me with his kindness, empathy and unconditional love.

It seems in life that everything connects to something else; you never know when a person or a small gesture is going to change your life or someone else’s. When you think about this, you can’t help but wonder, if you have been paying it forward?

Who have you touched in this life? Who has witnessed a passion in you that has been so inspiring that they have wanted to get involved in your cause or change their path? Knowing that your actions or attitudes are enough to impact someone’s life in a monumental way is an amazing realization. It is powerful tool that should be used for the good. It seems that being able to impact people has to do with  having a passion that people can witness, expressing the truth in a way people can hear it and doing all this with  love.

I encourage all of you to think about those who have touched your life in some way and reach out to them and let them know how important that was to you. At the same time, when you are in a relationship with others don’t be afraid to show your passion and speak the truth, with love it can make a difference and change the course of someone’s life. ©