Sarah Guerrero
Sarah Guerrero is a freelance writer and contributor to Slow North. She has a degree in international business from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas, and writes about sustainable business practices and ethical living.
How to Write a Thank You Note + Templates!
Recently, I read about a woman named Gina Hamadey, who sent 365 thank you cards in a year, one for every day of the year. That's right - three hundred and sixty five!
As she worked her way through her cards, Gina discovered beautiful things like, “people are doing nice things for you all the time,” and “a lot of people are going through a difficult time,” which means a kind, hand-written note goes a lot farther than you might think.
Photo by Kate Macate
This December, thanks to Gina’s advice, I sent out five thank you cards of my own. They were not fancy and they sat on my kitchen counter for a week until I remembered to mail them, but I sent them! The hardest part, honestly, was getting started. And, like Gina says, it’s true that I felt the same rush of gratitude and joy writing my thank you notes as I do practicing gratitude. Only this way, I get to share the joy!
Gina shares in depth about her thank you note journey in her book, but she’s also been gracious enough to share thank you writing tips on her blog too.
Here are two of my favorites:
1. There’s No Statute of Limitations
One of the biggest myths holding me back from writing thank you notes was that it takes me too long to write and mail them. Aren’t they supposed to be immediate? Gina reminded me that everybody loves to be thanked, no matter how long it’s been!
2. Be Specific
Your note doesn’t have to be gorgeous, fancy, or long. In fact, short and sweet is perfect. The trick is to be specific. Gina spends a few brief minutes thinking about how somebody’s kind act made her feel or impacted her. I’ve included a few templates that I used for my own thank you notes below--feel free to use them for yours!
Happy thanking!
Photo by Edward Howell
Thank You Note Templates:
Dear ____________,
I was thinking about something that meant a lot to me, and I wanted to write and tell you.
Thank you for ____________________ . It made me feel _____________________, and I’m very grateful.
--or--
When you did _____________________ for me, it really helped me ___________________.
--or--
It meant a lot to me when you ______________________, because ___________________.
Your kindness really means a lot to me. Thank you!
Yours truly,
Me
