Gratitude practices are often associated with greater wellbeing and closer relationships. Writing a gratitude letter is one simple way to try one: you let someone you appreciate know how you feel about them.
- Bring to mind someone you feel appreciation for, a person who has supported you in some way and whom you have not fully, or recently, thanked.
- Before writing, consider the gifts, qualities, and offerings this person has expressed or embodies. What makes you feel thankful for their presence in your life?
- Begin your letter, putting on paper what you appreciate. Consider not just what they have done for you but also who they are and what they offer to others.
- Take your time. You do not have to finish in one sitting, and by the end the letter might be one to two pages long.
- If you can, arrange to meet and hand deliver the letter. If distance makes that impossible, send it by mail.
- Be open to however the letter is received, expecting nothing in return. The letter is already a gift to you both.
A note from the worksheet: relationships are often complex, and naming what you are grateful for does not mean there are no challenges. You might feel deep gratitude for a parent while also working on boundaries with them. As you write, you can set your differences aside for now, knowing you can still work with the complexities later.
