The 'Thank You' Project

On Thank You Notes

2012-02-01T15:07:00.001+04:00

In these two videos, Sally Horchow of Very Goodlooking talks to Marc Friedland of Couture Communications (they've created last year's "and the Oscar goes to" envelopes!) about how to write and present the perfect thank you note.

Should you need more of Marc Friedland's thankful tips, do check them out HERE! A few of my personal favorites from the list:

What are yours? Do you have any cool tips of your own?

P.S. Thank you to Thankuz for bringing these videos to my attention!

Guest Blogging for ThankfulFor Blog

2012-01-19T19:35:00.000+04:00

As many of you know, I had been offered a fantastic opportunity - to guest blog over at ThankfulFor blog for the months of November and December. ThankfulFor is an online gratitude journal and gratitude sharing community focused on the pursuit of happiness, and it was a blast to be part of this mutual goal and have a chance to share some of my thoughts and experiences. Big thanks to Jen for having me!

Here are the posts I've written all put neatly in one place:

~ Benefits of Gratitude

~ Small Pleasures

~ 5 Reasons to Say "Yes" to Saying "Thank You"

~ Put Yourself in Life's Shoes

~ It's Almost Time to Be Thankful

~ To-Do Item #1: Appreciate

~ Choose to Be Thankful

~ Gratitude Challenge

~ Thankful Person's Guide to Places to Eat, Shop & Play

~ Gratitude Explained

~ Counting the Blessings of 2011

Thank you to all of you who visited me there and took part in the conversation!

Gratitude Quiz & Calendar Pics

2012-01-16T23:41:00.001+04:00

I've always been a fan of good quizzes, so when I came across the Gratitude Quiz at GreaterGood I had to take it immediately. The quiz lets you discover just how grateful you are, based on a scale developed by psychologists Mitchel Adler and Nancy Fagley, as well as offers ideas for promoting even more gratitude in your life.You can take it here. My gratitude score is 96 out of 105, what's yours?

I have also uploaded more photos of the Thankful Calendar to the TTYP Facebook page, take a look here!

Image via

Thankful Calendar!!

2012-01-11T02:57:00.004+04:00

I have such exciting news!! This project has been in the works for some time now, and it was oh so not easy to keep under wraps. Now that the time has come, I am so excited to finally share it with you:

The 'Thank You' Project - meaning you, me, us - we now have our own Thankful Calendar!

Huge thanks to Stephanie of Stelie Designs for helping make it happen and for making it look oh so pretty. Our 'thank you' desk calendar features fun colorful illustrations and 'thankful' quotes by real people from all over the world, so each month reminds you to give thanks and focus on the better all the while bringing color to your day and hopefully a smile to your face. Big thanks to everyone who shared their 'thanks' with me and let me use them in TTYP projects!

As The 'Thank You' Project's tag line goes - "a 'thank you' a day keeps the worries away" - we sincerely hope that the Thankful Calendar 2012 will help you keep a thankful mindset and help keep those worries away each day of the week, each week of the month and each month of the year.

I will be posting more pics of the calendar soon, right now you can take a look and get it here. Do share the excitement with me and let me know what you think! Which month is your favorite?

P.S. Happy International Thank You Day!

The Ultimate Thanking Word

2012-01-06T00:11:00.001+04:00

A few months ago I ran a poll on TTYP's Facebook page asking what word was the thanking word of choice among poll participants. At first, "thankful" was leading, then, as more people were casting their votes, "grateful" became the "winning" one. The final results are as follows:

Thankful? Grateful? Appreciative? What do you prefer?

Merci, Paris

2012-01-03T23:24:00.001+04:00

Remember my write up on the Merci store in Paris a while back? Merci is nominated for Superstore 2012 in Farfetch's Search for the World's Best New Boutique so they shot this video introducing the store. More reasons to love it:

Housed in an old factory building nestled among the Café culture of Le Marais in central Paris, Merci is a destination store, with its off-the-high-street location and unassuming used books and coffee shop façade - yet this young retailer still manages to see over 500,000 visitors per year. The store mixes together exclusive, and often bespoke designer fashion products with casual items, and vintage furniture with new generation interior designers - "luxury is not a matter of price or brand, but of attitude", explains Managing Director, Jean Luc Colonna. The Merci concept store also has several restaurants, along with a homewear floor, a perfume laboratory and an ever-changing visual landscape. All profits also go towards helping underprivileged children in Madagascar.

Thankful for 2011

2011-12-31T16:23:00.003+04:00

I don't know about you, but my 2011 has been pretty darn amazing. Difficult too, but amazing nonetheless. Happy New Thankful Year!

Image via

Appreciating Your Guests

2011-12-27T15:12:00.000+04:00

This 'Thank You' installation was done for a Costa Mesa, California wedding, but something like this will work brilliantly for any party you host. Doesn't it just look so slick and oh so stylish?

Image via, photography by Kaysha Weiner

What a Year of Gratitude Did to Me: Pt. 4

2011-12-20T22:53:00.000+04:00

Continuing with the bigger-than-expected list of things my thanksgiving year changed in me, I'm here to share 7 more of the personal wonders:

It made me realize the true value of family. I guess I haven't quite been taught it as a kid as it took gratitude to open my eyes and make me see family ties in a different light. I understand now that even if we don't always get along I can still count on them should anything happen. And even though I like to depend on myself when it comes to most things in life, I must admit it is a very comforting feeling to know that someone has your back.
Now, in going through an uneasy situation, I look for the signs of healing in my behavior and way of thinking instead of focusing on the negative aspects of such situation and making it worse by not being of much help to myself.
I don’t seem to be wishing for tragic endings to fiction books I read any more. This is amusing, but somehow I used to resent the idea of a happy ending, because one always seemed unrealistic to me. It sounded fake, too sweet and made no sense. I liked the characters flawed and broken and I needed the plot to be heart-wrenching and almost unbearable. Having recently read a new novel, I realized I actually wished everything in the storyline was going to end just fine. Maybe the change is because I’m finally ready to allow no more drama in my personal life and thus I can accept a happy ending in a book where tragedy isn’t necessary to get a point across. I guess I don't need reassurance in my misery and unhappiness since those two no longer tell the story of my life.
In being so appreciative of all the good and bad times in my life, I really don’t feel this common 'feeling' of time running out or flying or otherwise being on the verge of disappearance. Everything seems to follow its own very right pace to me.
When I'm not in love with some person I still feel like I'm in love with the whole world.
When I was a teen I thought happiness was being understood by those you cared about the most, now I realize happiness is just as much about really understanding oneself first.
I can go to bed and look forward to each new day, because regardless of what it brings, I know I'll be just fine. Tomorrow is a new day and there will be a new thing to be thankful for, and if there won't be a new thing to be thankful for, there would still be all the old things left. And if I lose those things tomorrow, there would still be my life and past to be thankful for... And if I die tomorrow, things just wouldn't matter, but while I'm here I can always find something to be thankful for.

That's all for now, but who knows, I might as well come back with more some time soon!

Image via

Thank You in Sign Language

2011-12-13T14:20:00.001+04:00

Who wants to learn saying thank you in American Sign Language? It's fairly easy. I was only surprised to learn there are more than one sign language and each country has their own... Somehow I thought the language was international and believed it was easy for deaf people to interact with one another when traveling, but no. And this is kind of upsetting, if you ask me.

Video Tutorial by MySmartHands

Gratitude DIY

2011-12-09T00:52:00.002+04:00

Look what I found! A bit late for the Thanksgiving, but never too late or early to express your gratitude just because. To make your own thankful 'Alphabet Pasta' pie topper read the instructions HERE. What a sweet idea, isn't it?

Being Thankful is a Choice

2011-11-27T18:58:00.000+04:00

It's what you choose to see and notice that dictates your mood, rules your world and gives you impressions of life. Being thankful is a choice, so choose to be thankful.

Need a picture example? Here it is:

You can look out of your hotel room window and choose to have an apartment building view. Or you can look better and notice your hotel's perfectly lovely inner yard. The choice is all yours.

You can look to the right and see not such a lovely roof of the building nearby... Or you can look to the left and notice a gorgeous sunset. The choice is all yours.

Photos by me: first two taken in Milan, last two taken in Moscow and are what you actually see looking out of my parents' bedroom window.

Give Thanks, Get Jewelry: Winners

2011-11-22T01:09:00.000+04:00

It's that thankful time of this month when me and Tynel are announcing the Give Thanks, Get Jewelry giveaway winners! And if this was not enough of a great news in itself, I have another great news!.. Tynel couldn't choose just one winner, so the amazing 'give♥thanks' necklaces go to these two lucky thankful ladies:

Karen gets a yellow necklace for this comment above.

"I picked Karen for her thoughtful response and because she mentioned the connection of her color orangey-yellow and restoring a mustang with her father. I could see the connection and joy this necklace would give her!" - Tynel

& Julie gets a red necklace for this comment above.

"I loved that she mentioned that Giving Thanks is not just for November. This is a slogan that I use all the time and feel it is sooooo important to embrace. She chose the Red one because it reminds her of all the love in her life. This is simply one of the most important things to be thankful for..." - Tynel

Congratulations, ladies! And big thanks to everyone who entered - we LOVED reading your beautiful colorful thanks!

What a Year of Gratitude Did to Me: Pt. 3

2011-11-13T22:27:00.001+04:00

I was right to assume the things I've already noticed changing in me as a result of my thanksgiving year were not all of the changes that took place. I keep noticing more! So in addition to the things I've mentioned in my 1st post on the subject and then in my 2d post and to a few more facts I included in my first guest post for ThankfulFor, there are these fantastic things:

This one might sound weird, but I can now watch movies alone like it’s nothing. I used to have a problem with that and only did so if I was dying to see a movie and couldn’t find a movie watching partner at that very time. Somehow it just didn't feel right being one on one with the movie world. Now I feel totally comfortable in my own skin, no matter what I do.
The year made me realize I really appreciated the idea of sunsets but also made me see that I'd never once watched one. So this was what I knew I had to do, and at the first opportunity I went ahead and watched the sun both set and rise. That even included me having to wake up super early on my first vacation in a while.
At some point, I even felt like decorating my Xmas tree. It happened for the first time in a very very long time in 2009, only a little over 3 months into my thanksgiving year. I have a picture proof.
The year helped me realize what some of my true passions were. And that's how my involvement with the Chair Blog happened.
I had never really imagined my future in realistic ways before. Like, I could dream anything in my mind but when it came to planning or setting achievable goals for the nearest future – I never did that. Mostly because I wasn’t sure my future existed and was scared of it.
It's now so much easier for me to let go of old unnecessary and useless things and photos. Being thankful for the 'mental' memories instead of physical confirmation I preserve them in my mind even better it seems. If I do forget some memory, it only means it never mattered as much as I thought. It's like I give things a chance to prove their worthiness to me and make room for new moments to savor.
In addition to not noticing 'bad' weather any more, I've noticed I even get somewhat of a 'spiritual' and extra lift from the fact that said 'bad' weather doesn't bring me down any more. Way to go about using the positive outlook to the max, eh?..

And believe it or not, I'm not done with listing all the wonders! Will continue the list in one of my next posts. In the meantime, I invite you to read my newest guest post (on fun reasons why 'thank yous' are so worth a try) for the ThankfulFor blog HERE, and you are more than welcomed to join The 'Thank You' Project's giveaway HERE!

Image via

Giveaway: Give Thanks, Get Jewelry

2011-11-08T22:27:00.001+04:00

When you see these super sweet 'thankful' necklaces by LittleLambsEatIvy43, it's impossible not to fall in love with them at least a little... They're such little colorful mood-lifters! Well, I'm happy to announce that me and Tynel, the mastermind behind the jewelry, want to lift someone's mood even further and award one of you, thankful people, with your own 'give♥thanks' necklace!

To enter the giveaway:

1) Visit LittleLambsEatIvy43's shop on Etsy, take a look at all of the necklaces and choose your favorite;

2) Let us know in the comments to this post what your color of choice is (choose wisely - if you win, that's the necklace you're getting!);

3) In your comment, include a fond thankful memory this color brings to mind or something of this color that you're thankful for;

4) Please, don't forget to include your name and an email address if your comment doesn't link to your blog.

For the inspiration look no further than Tynel's own comments under each colorful necklace listing - her thanks are as sweet as ever!

The giveaway is open internationally and you have until November 20th to enter. The winner will be chosen by Tynel and announced on November 21st. We're looking forward to your 'colorful' thanks!

Guest Blogging at Thankfulfor.com

2011-11-06T17:51:00.000+04:00

Do you remember last year's Gratitude Index infographic I've featured here on The 'Thank You' Project? It was done by the amazing team of Thankfulfor website - an online gratitude journal and gratitude sharing community focused on the pursuit of happiness. Well, I have some great news!.. I'm now guest blogging over at Thankfulfor Blog! Do check me out there and let me know what you think, you know I'll appreciate it!

Thankful Playlist

2011-11-03T01:16:00.000+04:00

A while back on Twitter and Facebook I asked the thankful community if there were any songs with the message of gratitude and appreciation they knew of and loved.

Brenda Phillippe Auch remembered Thank You by Dido. Ibis Kristina Cabarcas Martínez told us about Gratitud by Fonseca (Colombian Singer). She even quoted her favorite part, and as she did so in Spanish I had to ask for a little translation:

"I feel thankful for my life, for my family and my country, I feel thankful because I want to sing, I want to scream for happiness , I feel thankful, 'cause my heart has got the most beautiful things in life..."

Don't you just love the last line?

Mitch mentioned Thank You by Alanis Morissette (which I realized I'd never heard of).

My own song choices proved to be kind of unexpected and a little funny... The first that came to my mind was Tupac's Dear Mama, and then I remembered Pharrel's Our Father! Isn't that... well, funny?.. Later I also remembered Christina Aguilera's Fighter, and just recently thought (when it started playing on my iPod) that Alicia Keys' Like You'll Never See Me Again was a really good reminder too!

So what's on your thankful playlist?

Image via

Merci Sign at Hotel Thoumieux

2011-10-30T16:15:00.001+04:00

Such a beautiful 'merci' sign at Hôtel Thoumieux in Paris (via Garance Dore's blog), don't you think?

Thankful Wednesday?

2011-10-26T23:33:00.000+04:00

What an awesome day has been sent my way today!

First, it was supposed to be the day when I officially 'acknowledged' my dear Caitlin's tribute post where I was honored to have been mentioned, and mentioned in such an incredibly heartwarming way. Caitie wrote it long ago, and I'm still wondering just how come I missed THIS (there are photos there as well, come take a look):

“ ...Late in 2009, I stumbled upon a Blog written by a Russian girl. I was instantly attracted to The Thank You Project as the author, Julia, had embarked on a journey to find something to be thankful for every day for a year. I seriously couldn't get enough of her posts - she made me think differently about my world.

That was then and here we are today almost 2 years later and we still have blog interactions regularly. When she was podcast on an Australian radio channel due to her drive to 'be thankful', I poured a glass of Pinot Noir and listened to it on my computer. I value what she has to say. ”

Next thing I know, I come home in the evening and find even more beauty and kindness awaiting me! First it's the lovely feature on the Fanx' Blog by Mitch and then it's a sweet tweet from a fellow thankful person and a new follower Laura Faulkner of ThankfulForThisDay website.

Definitely an incredible stuff to come home to. Thank you all so much, you truly made my day!..

New Thankful Survey!

2011-10-23T21:48:00.003+04:00

The new Thankful Survey is here! All of your requests and suggestions have been factored in and helped enhance and improve the new survey, so I can't wait to hear what you think and can't wait for the first results to come in!..

The survey can be accessed at any time via the 'Survey' tab on top of the blog and right now following this link. This time you can also easily access it via a special tab on TTYP's Facebook page, if you wish.

I really enjoyed seeing and analyzing the results of the first Thankful Survey, and I have a feeling the new one is going to be even more insightful. So bring it on, let's survey!..

Image via

Thankful Jewelry

2011-10-18T20:49:00.000+04:00

Another way to practice gratitude might be via wearing 'thankful' jewelry, that can serve as a great reminder of life's blessings. I've been thinking of getting something thankfully special that would be very me, and while I am still searching and contemplating here are some of my finds on Etsy:

Practice Gratitude Loopy Necklace by Lisa Hopkins ($78.00)
Hand Stamped 'Thankful' Cuff by Always A Memory ($16.00)
'Be Thankful' Hand Stamped Bracelet in Nickel Silver by Maja Jewelry ($22.00)
'I am Grateful for Sunflowers' Hand Stamped Necklace by Dream Acre Designs ($34.00)
'Thankful' Two Finger Banner Ring by MerCurios ($40.00)

Would you wear something like this to show your gratitude?

Food for Thought, Thanks to Friedrich Nietzsche

2011-10-12T22:28:00.002+04:00

Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophical work, La Gaya Scienza, has one powerful piece (341: The Greatest Weight) that really makes you think - you just instantly want to pause for a moment and look at your life from a very different angle. I can also see a strong connection to the gratitude theory here. What do you think, do you see it too?

“ What, if some day or night a demon were to steal after you in your loneliest loneliness
and say to you:
"This life as you now live it and have lived it,
you will have to live once more and innumerable times more;
and there will be nothing new in it,
but every pain and every joy and every thought and sigh
and everything unutterably small or great in your life will have to return to you,
all in the same succession and sequence — even this spider
and this moonlight between the trees,
and even this moment and I myself.
The eternal hourglass of existence is turned upside down
again and again — and you with it, speck of dust!"
Would you not throw yourself down and gnash your teeth and curse the demon who spoke thus?
Or have you once experienced a tremendous moment when you would have answered him:
"You are a god and never have I heard anything more divine!"
If this thought gained possession of you,
it would change you as you are or perhaps crush you;
the question in each and every thing,
"Do you desire this once more, and innumerable times more?"
would lie upon your actions as the greatest weight!
Or how well disposed would you have to become to yourself and to life
to crave nothing more fervently than this ultimate eternal confirmation and seal? ”

Fall's Gift

2011-10-08T01:34:00.003+04:00

Moscow, thank you for the gift of two perfect spring days in the midst of fall, when even an early Saturday morning blood test on an empty stomach is a joy. What's it like there where you are?

P.S. Our current temperatures in Celsius on the left and Fahrenheit on the right.

Suggestion: Take the Time to Appreciate Your Pet Today

2011-10-05T16:40:00.002+04:00

Our pets are always happy to see us and love us no matter what, maybe this is why it's so easy to take this appreciation for granted. I suggest we all pay it forward immediately and take the time today to appreciate our dogs, cats, fish or what have we! Even simply watching your pet sleep, or watch it watch you, just looking at it and admiring it is guaranteed to fill your heart with love and gratitude - at least I know it works for me!..

And as I realize now I don't know how many of you actually have pets, and whether most of you are cat or dog lovers, I'd appreciate it if you introduced the animals in your life to our thankful community!

Video by Matt Wiebe

We&Co's Most Thankful

2011-09-28T00:03:00.001+04:00

Can't believe I didn't post this earlier - proud to be one of the We&Co's Most Thankful on their Thankforce page!

You Are Awesome

2011-09-21T15:28:00.001+04:00

In the beginning of the month, I asked what recent summer memories you wanted to re-live, even if just for a few moments. I loved reading your thoughtful answers! You guys are awesome and deserve more than 5 minutes of what you asked for, that’s for sure.

Here are some of your answers to the question

"what would you appreciate 5 minutes more of"?

“ I'd like to spend just five more minutes relaxing with family at my sister's in her yard. My cousin and his wife were there. We hadn't seen them for a while so it was fun to just hang out and talk. ” - Crystal

“ 5 more minutes hugging my loved ones…

And oooh yes, 5 more minutes of those fantastic summer nights ” - Ellinelle

“ I would love 5 more minutes with my bf the other night. He came over in really cozy clothes and was on my bed while I putzed around doing stuff falling asleep. We were really content, not talking but so content and I loved looking over at him in sweats, on my bed, reading, fighting sleep

- it was really cute and peaceful. I would love 5 minutes more of that! ” - Miss Caitlin S.

“ I'd love to have five more minutes inside the Angkor Wat temple in Cambodia.

Or five more minutes baking under the sun with the sound of lapping waves. ” - Koryn

Image via

Thankful Salutations

2011-09-18T19:23:00.000+04:00

I love it when I come across unexpected thankful things on the internet! How about a thankful ribbon? This one is hand stamped and made of organic cotton, I found it somewhere on the world wide web and then discovered it was being sold at a website called BHLDN.

A Lady and a 'Thank You' in Real Simple Magazine

2011-09-13T14:44:00.001+04:00

My Lady and a 'Thank You' is getting all famous! If you followed the story from the beginning, you might remember the original post about the encounter itself, the follow-up with your opinions on the situation and my quest for truth. As part of said quest, I turned to Real Simple for help, and they ended up featuring the question in the September issue of their magazine, both in print and online. Albeit the initial question was changed to the extent of being unrecognizable, I am still happy for the Lady and a 'Thank You'! Thank you, Real Simple!

To read the answer, click on the screenshot picture above or here!

Thanks-Giving Square

2011-09-09T04:03:00.001+04:00

Just found out there's such a thing as a Thanksgiving Square in the US! The following info is from its Wikipedia page:

Thanks-Giving Square is a public-private complex in the City Center District of downtown Dallas, Texas, consisting of three components: a landscaped park, a major section of the underground pedestrian network and the Bullington Truck Terminal. Thanks-Giving Square generally refers to the visible park, which is operated by the non-profit Thanksgiving Foundation. The park, designed by architect Philip Johnson, was dedicated in 1976 to promote the concept of giving thanks as a universal human value. The complex also features the Wall of Praise, Ring of Thanks, Circle of Giving, Chapel of Thanksgiving, Hall of Thanksgiving and Exhibit Area.

The space is quite beautiful so I suggest you take a look at more photos of it on Flickr.

Image via

Five More Minutes

2011-09-06T23:10:00.001+04:00

Summer's now officially behind us here in the Nothern hemisphere, but summer memories are still fresh!.. Anything you'd want to live again, even if just for a few moments?

I'd live my whole 2,5 days trip to Paris in June all over again! There were quite some things I didn't have time to do, enough of people I didn't get a chance to see and even more places that I didn't quite have a moment to go to, but even while being there I knew I'd want to experience that weekend again. The time that was definitely compensates for the time that wasn't! But if I had to choose just 5 minutes of something, I'd go for our Saturday night out at my favorite local club with the people I care about: getting lost in the music we love, sharing knowing looks and smiling at each other, feeling easy, content, appreciative...

What would you appreciate 5 minutes more of?

5 More Minutes from Starbucks

Power of Gratitude, Explained (in under 150 characters)

2011-09-04T12:59:00.003+04:00

That's it. Exactly the way it works, and exactly my experience with it. Isn't it motivation enough to give it a try?

Image is my own

Traditional Thank You Cards VS Technology

2011-09-01T12:11:00.000+04:00

I know some of you are rooting for the comeback of the traditional way of thanking people - via thank you cards. Others argue that the card is not even dead. Then we have folks who embrace technology, but complain that most of the latest developments are only available to those with smartphones... Hey, why argue if there's something for everyone these days?

Meet Thankuz, a sweet new thanking website that was recently brought to my attention. Thankuz fits right between a formal, traditional thank you greeting and a casual 'thanks' expressed via text messages or social networking sites, sort of bringing both worlds together. Because traditions don't always meet the modern world's needs.

I got curious about the whole thing, so I had to ask one of the creators if anyone could use it, regardless of them having a smartphone or not, and, as it turns out, Thankuz is a web app and you don't even have to sign up to use it - the Thankuz notes can be sent anonymously or via a nickname. You can use it to send thank you notes to people, places or even things, and you can add photos with your note of thanks! Each note also gets its own url, so it's easy to find and share.

So what do you think? Do you even like the idea of various thankful applications that keep being developed lately?

Food Appreciation Week, the Roundup

2011-08-28T20:54:00.000+04:00

Thanks to all who participated in the Food Appreciation Week! Here's the roundup of foods the community has given thanks for:

meals, meats & etc.: quesadillas, chicken, biriyani, smoked salmon, tuna, mushrooms

vegetables: tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, lettuce, beetroot

fruit & berries: apples, pears, peaches, cranberries

sweets: ice cream, chocolate

cheeses: Gouda Robusto, mozzarella, mascarpone, tilsiter, feta, brinza

Plus, there's a mini food appreciation list from a community member's 3 year old daughter! She put banana, cake, soup, bread, ice-cream and nuts on hers (and she meant eating it all at once!)

Anything else you would add?

Image via

Food Appreciation

2011-08-26T17:20:00.000+04:00

"There is something beautiful about the baking process. The way flour feels in your hands or the sound of eggs cracking on the edge of a bowl. Baking is a gathering of interesting materials, a mixed medium art piece of sorts, that ends in a cake instead of a canvas."

Beet Cake by Tiger in a Jar

Give Thanks, Give Cookies

2011-08-24T20:48:00.003+04:00

Giving thanks is sweet, giving thank you cookies can make the act even sweeter - how cute is this gift idea? See more here, and for the recipe and a step-by-step guide click here.

Food Appreciation Week

2011-08-23T15:38:00.001+04:00

When I wrote my Most Appreciated post on most viewed and most commented blog content during my thanksgiving year, I also took a look at what was popular in the post-'365 thanks' period, and one of those appreciated posts was All the Food I Was Thankful For.

Remembering this post inspired me to proclaim this week a food appreciation week (you'll see what I have in store in the name of it soon!), which I immediately did on TTYP's Facebook page, and then on Twitter too. Yesterday I felt appreciative of berries, and today I'm appreciating mushrooms!

What foods do you appreciate?

Something New

2011-08-19T12:21:00.002+04:00

The blog has a new updated look! Check it out and let me know what you think. Me and my brother find it to be looking kind of newspaper-ish, but we both like it. And in fact, it's the first time my brother actually likes the look of my blog! Oh finally.

There are also some new categories on The 'Thank You' Project: thankful stories, thankful finds, thankful videos and thankful places. I feel it brings more structure to the blog!

And last but not least, I have a question! Would you guys want to see me introduce another, an all new Thankful Survey, enhanced and improved based on your requests and suggestions? Personally, I really enjoyed seeing the results of the first one, and I have a feeling the new one I have in mind is going to be even more interesting to analyze.

Merci: a Thankful Concept Store in Paris

2011-08-16T15:04:00.002+04:00

Merci is a concept store on 111 Boulevard Beaumarchais in Paris and is home to a whole lot of lovely things, judging by the photo report on Morning by Foley - exactly the kind of space I can see myself wandering through for a long time, especially if I'm with a friend who's just as into the idea! Mercis (French 'thank yous') can be found everywhere throughout the store, and as you can imagine this fact cannot not to delight me. The place is now on my must visit list for the next time I am in Paris!

Photos courtesy of Morning by Foley

Most Appreciated

2011-08-13T14:50:00.000+04:00

I'm feeling like taking a look at this blog's most appreciated content, and by 'most appreciated' I mean most viewed and most commented posts dating back to my thanksgiving year. After all, it's always interesting to see what other people search for on the internet and what lands them on your page, and I am most definitely interested in taking a look back at some of the best conversations held within the original The 'Thank You' Project.

I still find it kind of amusing that so many people keep stopping by my Honesty post, which is the most viewed entry from my year of thanks. Frankly, I don't even know what exactly drives them there and why there. The second most viewed post is Not Your Average Young Girl, followed by En Route. They're all good fun and I still can relate to everything I mentioned in each one of them!

When it comes to the most commented posts (or is it better to say the ones that inspired the most conversation between you and I?), the leading one is They Keep Talkin' About It, 'Cause They Can't Keep Up with Your Pace, where I dish on my love/hate relationship with the city of Moscow, and the one that apparently made many of you want to visit. Number two most commented post is One of the Things I'd Like to See Disappear Forever, and let me tell you, I am so glad so many are with me on it! Third most commented post is Little Joys of Life, which is a good reminder to be thankful for the little things in life.

One thing I realize now after reading these precious comments of yesteryear from all of you lovely thankful people, is that how much joy and warmth these memories bring to my heart right now! I appreciate every single one of you, and this post is my official notice of gratitude to you for making my thanksgiving year so special. I mean what I say! It's a little bit possible the year wouldn't have been such a success if it wasn't for you taking such an active part in it. THANK YOU!

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A Lady and a 'Thank You': Experts Weigh In

2011-08-07T19:17:00.004+04:00

Following up on my original post on a lady and a 'thank you' situation from a few months back, I'm bringing you an update on the matter! Remember me saying I actually went ahead and wrote to some of the etiquette professionals asking for help? Well, Miss Manners has never gotten back to me (should I email her again?), but Maralee of Manners Mentor Blog and Julia, one of the editors at Real Simple, did! Maralee says:

“ Dear Julia,

I was sad to read about the situation you encountered in the shop entrance. Please know that the man in question was rude and presumptuous to you on several levels. You were absolutely correct to thank him for holding open the door. To not have done so would be to fail to acknowledge and encourage the small kindnesses of daily encounters.

At no time in history was a lady ever taught it was rude to thank another person, male or female. Even if you had been “wrong” in thanking him, his offense, pointing out the supposed bad manners of someone else was worse. Unless we happened to give birth to the one whose manners we are correcting, or the person has specifically hired us for that task, it’s the one who is doing the correcting who is rude. ”

As for the Real Simple's reply, I don't know the answer to my initial question yet, but they emailed me saying they wanted to print the question in the Modern Manners section of the September issue of their magazine. Here is how they said they would print it (totally not the way I meant it, as I feel no shame when a man is being a gentleman to me, but whatever):

“ Should a woman say thank you to a man who holds a door open for her? Or turn around and hold the door for him? I feel guilty just walking right on in. ”

I guess you and I will know their take on the subject once the magazine hits the stands in September - Julia the editor promised to send me a PDF if I remind her, plus it's supposed to make an appearance online at some point too. However, if any of you happen to get a copy of the magazine, I would appreciate a photo or a scan!

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Something for a Stylish Thankful Person

2011-08-02T12:03:00.000+04:00

How about these stylishly reinterpreted 'thank you' shopper bags in embossed lambskin leather? Yes, please!

Inspired by over-the-counter designs from New York City stores, the bags by Los Angeles based Cast of Vices forgo the usual plastic and come in leather instead: a small bag is 17.5" x 8.5" and retails for $178.00, a medium bag is 21.5" x 12" and would cost you $218.00.

Please & Thank You Are Still Magic Words

2011-07-29T10:32:00.001+04:00

Just a reminder from littleminnowdesigns shop on Etsy.

Complaints & Gratitude

2011-07-26T23:54:00.000+04:00

Do you complain a lot?

Because of the no complaints challenge held by 365 Grateful last week, this is the subject I've been thinking about more than usual recently. I came to realize that in me the fact that I don't complain much is a result of focusing on the things I'm thankful for rather than the things I'm lacking.

For instance, I might not feel happy about some argument with my parents, but hey, I actually HAVE parents who are still around, not drug addicts or alcoholics and who actually love and care about me - I should be thankful. And I really do feel thankful often and try to express it just as often, and I feel it might be exactly the thing that prevents me from expressing dissatisfaction in the form of complaints. And when I do express my dissatisfaction with something it's because I want a solution, which means I either get over it and move on or share my feelings with someone I trust and then listen to their opinion and advice, making it a conversation rather than one way whining. In my world complaints and gratitude are mutually exclusive and the more thankful I am the less I'm prone to complaining.

This is my take on the subject. What do you think?

P.S. Please note that the above is not meant to offend anyone. I'm just expressing myself and the way I see it and trying to spark some conversation here. You're only allowed to get offended if it'll help you complain less.

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How About You Thank Your Favorite Server?

2011-07-20T20:30:00.000+04:00

Or bartender, or barista, or mechanic, or librarian, or shop assistant, or beautician or God knows who else you might want to thank. The point is, some of the people in the service industry are just so amazing that a 'thank you' and a tip just don't feel like enough. And I mean, how many times in a row can you actually say 'thank you' to your waiter on a single visit for it not to seem odd?

A while back someone complimented me on my blog (thank you!), I followed the link back to his, then via his twitter I discovered an interesting app, then later I realized he was involved in the making of this app... To make a long story short, it's the ultimate thankful app!

You get great service somewhere, you open We&Co, you press "thank". The server can thank you back or even offer a freebie... Or maybe you can even help your server get a raise if he/she becomes one of the most thanked! A way to promote a business by putting the emphasis on its people.

Do read more about the We&Co app in this article on my beloved good.is and in the write up here.

P.S. Just remembered how my funny grandma once jokingly said to my mom - "you can have your 'thank you' for lunch". If she was tech savvy enough, maybe she'd enjoy using the app to add a little extra to her 'thanks', ha!

Appreciate Summer

2011-07-18T10:22:00.000+04:00

Appreciate summer while it lasts!

"Life, even in the hardest times, is full of moments to savor. They will not come this way again, not in this way" - Paula Rinehart

Sertac Yuksel shot this video over a couple of days on the streets of Istanbul. He took his camera, strolled through the streets alone and had a great time with the help of summer and a real life outside - Times Like This is the outcome.

FM99.3 Radio Interview Rerun

2011-07-15T18:57:00.001+04:00

As you may remember, back in January I had the honor of being interviewed for Australian radio station North Shore's FM99.3. This weekend Breakfast in Bed show turns 2 and to celebrate they're talking about all things thankful and featuring my interview along with lots of new fun gratitude themed songs and segments! Here below is the full schedule:

Tune in to FM99.3 this Sunday at 7:30 am Sydney time if you're located in Australia, or use a world time zone converter to figure out what time it's going to be in your city and country when it's 7:30 am in Sydney if you're located elsewhere. You can listen to the show ONLINE, following this link.

P.S. To ensure the online web-streaming works for you, it is advised to try it out or download the needed software beforehand.

Some Thankful Inspiration

2011-07-11T12:31:00.002+04:00

Some of the heartwarming thanks given in comments to the Thankful Survey:

“ Today I'm thankful for ideas that cross my mind, and for having/finding a chance to express them. ”

“ Being with my kids... Being able to bring them to places that put smiles to their faces. ”

“ I am thankful for the things that break me down because I gain strength, wisdom and a greater understanding of myself. ”

“ Being healthy and having a healthy family. It is something to be thankful for everyday, as it can change at any time. ”

“ The people who make the teabags I use and the people who grow the oats I eat every morning. ”

“ Being able to have a friend willing to listen to the silliness of my life. ”

“ Thankful for the opportunity to be inspired daily by the creative minds of others. ”

“ I'm thankful for the simple joy of watching my cat thoroughly enjoy the warm breeze from the open window! ”

What are you thankful for today?

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Dear Blank Please Blank

2011-07-08T11:11:00.000+04:00

Interesting twists on thank yous and not only: dearblankpleaseblank.com

Thankful Survey: Final Results

2011-07-05T16:05:00.004+04:00

I am ready to share the rest of the Thankful Survey's results! This time we're taking a look at what exactly the survey respondents felt most thankful for at the time of sharing their thankful thoughts. Things haven’t changed dramatically since the last time I reported on it, but there are still some minor dissimilarities.

We're seeing a slight increase in the percentage of people expressing gratitude for their health and well-being, life and nature, spirituality and religion and for various objects and life facts, with everything else showing a minor decline.

The percentage of people who couldn't categorize their gratefulness according to the survey's requirements is also smaller than before, and many of those who couldn't choose a category stated in the comments that it was due to their gratitude overlapsing several of the suggested options.

Where does your thankfulness rank?

Thank You for Being Upset

2011-06-28T16:36:00.002+04:00

"I'm glad you are upset" - the only kind of situation where saying something like this is acceptable is when you tell a co-worker you'll be leaving the workplace for good and your colleague is genuinely let down by the fact that you won't be seen in the office any more. With this being said, I'm very thankful you're upset!

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Thanks Are Everywhere

2011-06-22T23:33:00.000+04:00

Thanks are everywhere, one just needs to look. It's actually amazing how much you can be thanked throughout the day - I'm on the look out for those 'silent' ones now!

What Are We Supposed to Say in Reply to 'Thank You'?

2011-06-12T16:26:00.001+04:00

While browsing Miss Manners' column on msn (in the hopes the answer to my question was somehow published without me knowing (it wasn't and there's still no reply), I came across another interesting reader question - What are we supposed to say when someone says thank you?

This made me wonder just how many different ways to respond are out there in different cultures. What do they say in your country? Or do you know of any responses in a foreign language that seem unusual to you?

In Russian, we say "nothing for" as in "nothing to thank me for", and sometimes people reply with "please", which would be the Russian equivalent for "you're welcome" in this situation. The article also gives an example of a proper reply in Spanish, which is "de nada" and means "it was nothing".

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Amo La Vida

2011-06-07T21:48:00.002+04:00

Touching and deeply meaningful, it's a fascinating short film told in a very heartwarming way. If, for whatever reasons, you can't sit through the whole piece, take the time to enjoy the bread story told in the beginning, but let me warn you - you're missing out if you're not watching till the end.

"Gratitude in so many ways is so dramatically missing in the world today. Without gratitude nothing is enough... And no matter what I do, I don't live like I deserve this, I live like I thank life for this."

Amo La Vida starring Julio Olalla by Nic Askew for soulbiographies.com

P.S. Thanks to Toni Powell of 365 Grateful for bringing it to my attention!

The Trouble With Thank You Notes

2011-06-05T12:05:00.001+04:00

I'm not sure just exactly how I came across this fantastic article on thank you notes on Slate circa 2005, but it's well worth going back in time! If you happen to be a Thankful Newsletter subscriber or like TTYP on Facebook, you've had a chance to check it out already, but if you're none of these, you might want to take a moment to do so now. Why? It features pretty awesome authentic thank yous from Benjamin Franklin, Harry Truman, Virginia Woolf and Margaret Mitchell among a few others.

To read more on how to write thank you notes visit:

How To Write Thank You Notes: 6 Tips from Author Cat Wagman via TTYP
How To Write Thank You Notes: More Tips from Author Cat Wagman via TTYP
& a cool and super easy to follow step by step guide How to Write a Thank-You Note via The Morning News

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Thankful Survey: First Results

2011-05-29T23:37:00.004+04:00

I am finally ready to share some of the Thankful Survey's first results! The pie chart below breaks down the respondents by age - it's interesting to see because it gives an idea of the blog's audience and I certainly like the generation diversity here:

Now onto the results! The majority of people (93.1%) to have taken the Thankful Survey consider themselves to be thankful people, and it gets proven by the fact that said respondents report thanking people for small acts of kindness in everyday situations: 69.0% admit to always doing so, 26.4% say they thank others often.

1.1% think they’re not thankful enough, which can be both a good and a bad thing depending on whether they want to improve in this department or not, but at least they’re honest!..

More often than not, these thankful people expect to be thanked for the things they do for other people (71.3%). 23.0% rarely expect it and 5.7% don’t expect such gesture at all.

Most (86.2%) are not shy about expressing their gratitude in more personal, non-everyday situations, and whopping 94.3% claim to having said words of appreciation personally to the appreciated people in their lives.

When asked if they thought it was possible to be thankful for something that hasn't happened yet, most (65.5%) imagined such thing to be a possibility and 29.9% said to be unsure. Many shared their thoughts on the subject in the comments, and there are some really good convincing points here:

“ Being thankful for something before it has arrived is how to make sure it gets there! ”

“ I've learnt to thank God for things that haven't happened yet: I know that the things I wish for will happen when he thinks it is time for, and that if they don't, there's surely a good reason for that. ”

“ That's where being hopeful comes into play. I always think the best will happen and when I have a goal in mind, I positively see it as already happening. I am just thankful for the idea, the chance that something positive is going to happen. ”

“ I am thankful for my growing baby and I haven't met her yet! ”

As for what exactly the survey respondents felt most thankful for at the time of sharing their thankful thoughts, things haven’t changed dramatically since the last time I reported on it. I’d love to get a little more input for a better picture of people’s gratitude, so let's leave it for the next time!

In the meantime, you're welcomed to click on the picture above to have a better view of the breakdown of respondents by countries - I am proud to say that we're quite an international society of thankful people as the survey has been taken by people from 25 countries!

I also loved what some folks had to say about the Thankful Survey itself:

“ Answering these questions has actually made me think and realize that I'm more thankful than I thought. ”

“ This survey makes me seem like a really nice person. ”

So even if you're not looking to take any surveys, it's safe to assume everyone is looking for something to make them feel good, which, in turn, means you should still take the Thankful Survey! If you haven't already, of course, and if you have, I'm thanking you wholeheartedly!

Encyclopedia of Gratitude

2011-05-21T12:57:00.000+04:00

Being the thankful person that I am, of course I had to jump on the bandwagon and submit a post to the Encyclopedia of Gratitude project by writer Erich Origen - you can see my submission by clicking the picture below.

Originally, I felt the urge to send a short piece inspired by my own thankful post from my thanksgiving year, but seeing how other posts on the website were much longer, I thought I had to fit in and sent in a longer piece.

Turns out, we should really trust our initial gut feelings. I have been sent a notification email which said that "the editors kept the sentiment you expressed at the beginning, feeling that simple thought alone could not be improved upon by adding anything else."

The post has also been enhanced by the editors with a picture and a song.

A Lady and a 'Thank You': Opinions

2011-05-19T22:21:00.006+04:00

First of all, big thanks to everyone who shared their thoughts on the Lady and a Thank You dilemma I wrote about in my previous post!

Most of you thought I was right to offer my appreciation, and more than a few of you even admitted they’d feel offended if they were told “what a lady should or should not do”, as offered by commenter Brenda A. And while I personally didn't find the man's remark offensive, the topic is something I'm very curious about. So much so that I even took the time yesterday to write to Miss Manners and to the editors of the etiquette column at Real Simple asking for help with this matter!

Now let’s wait and see if they ever get back to me and help us figure it all out! (If you know of a website where I can ask for advice on good manners, please let me know so that I can consult them too). In the meantime, here are some of the main ideas expressed by you:

And here's an opinion from a friend of mine via Facebook:

Anna Dobrynina:

"I think you did the right thing. That man sounds a little creepy honestly. It's funny that he kind of went out of his way to come up to you and tell you that. What's wrong with saying thank you? It takes less than two seconds and just means that you acknowledge what was done for you, that's what I personally think."

A Lady Should Never Say 'Thank You'?

2011-05-15T17:01:00.004+04:00

Generally, when someone does something nice for me I say 'thank you'. That's how it should be. Today was a bit of an exception as a stranger who held a door open for me had his headphones on, so I just nodded instead. Although later I realized I could've totally said it too - even if he wouldn't have heard me, he would've still seen that I thanked him.

Today's experience also reminded me of one from a while back that still has me puzzled. At the entrance to a shop a man was holding a door for his female companion when he saw me and my friend approaching and then kept holding the door until we made it past him and inside. Naturally, I thanked him without even giving it much thought. However, he wasn't too pleased. He came up to me at the store and quitely said that "a lady should never say "thank you", particularly in a situation like that.

"Was he right about it?" is the question I'm still asking myself. Something tells me a different situation may call for a different reply to it and that specifics of a particular case might matter. But what is a general rule? What would a well-mannered lady do and what would a well-mannered man expect of a lady? Anyone familiar with the correct protocol?

P.S. There's a thread on the topic on Yahoo! Answers (not started by me), if you need some opinions to get you started on it.

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Cafe Gratitude

2011-05-11T12:09:00.003+04:00

Did you know there was a "collection" of restaurants called Cafe Gratitude located in the San Francisco Bay Area in the sunny state of California, USA? I seem to be finding so many cool gratitude related things lately!

"Café Gratitude is our expression of a world of plenty. Our food and people are a celebration of our aliveness. We select the finest organic ingredients to honor the earth and ourselves, as we are one and the same. We support local farmers, sustainable agriculture and environmentally friendly products. Our food is prepared with love. We invite you to step inside and enjoy being someone that chooses: loving your life, adoring yourself, accepting the world, being generous and grateful every day, and experiencing being provided for. Have fun and enjoy being nourished."

Image courtesy of cafegratitude.com

To Live Inspired

2011-05-07T12:14:00.001+04:00

Found an absolutely fabulous website full of amazingly stylish journals, cards, notebooks and whatnot in the most delicious juicy colors possible! I like the variety they offer, but the "thank you" range is my favorite (bet you're not surprised!) From the company's website:

"Compendium is a Seattle-based company that creates and distributes a fresh, design-rich line of inspiring gift products. Since 1985, Compendium has had a talent for turning everyday items into extraordinary gifts, and everyday occasions into memorable events. We’ll help you foster deeper relationships with your most important contacts, and show you what it truly means to “live inspired.”

Are you inspired to check them out? I knew I totally wanted to see more once I saw the above item!

Scientific Facts Behind the Feeling of Gratitude

2011-05-03T21:29:00.003+04:00

"Grateful people report higher levels of positive emotions, life satisfaction, vitality, optimism and lower levels of depression and stress. The disposition toward gratitude appears to enhance pleasant feeling states more than it diminishes unpleasant emotions. Grateful people do not deny or ignore the negative aspects of life." - Robert A. Emmons and Michael E. McCullough

Robert A. Emmons is a leading researcher in the field of psychology of gratitude, professor at UC-Davis and author of four books on the subject. Together with Michael E. McCullough they have conducted a number of experimental studies in the field, here's a summary of their findings:

1) In an experimental comparison, those who kept gratitude journals on a weekly basis exercised more regularly, reported fewer physical symptoms, felt better about their lives as a whole, and were more optimistic about the upcoming week compared to those who recorded hassles or neutral life events (Emmons & McCullough, 2003);

2) Participants who kept gratitude lists were more likely to have made progress toward important personal goals (academic, interpersonal and health-based) over a two-month period compared to subjects in the other experimental conditions;

3) A daily self-guided gratitude exercises with young adults resulted in higher reported levels of the positive states of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, attentiveness and energy compared to a focus on hassles or a downward social comparison (ways in which participants thought they were better off than others);

4) Participants in the daily gratitude condition were more likely to report having helped someone with a personal problem or having offered emotional support to another;

5) In a sample of adults with neuromuscular disease, a 21-day gratitude intervention resulted in greater amounts of high energy positive moods, a greater sense of feeling connected to others, more optimistic ratings of one’s life, and better sleep duration and sleep quality, relative to a control group;

6) Children who practice grateful thinking have more positive attitudes toward school and their families (Froh, Sefick, & Emmons, 2008).

I've seen my share of amazing things happening to me after my year of thanksgiving was done, and there were so much more to it than just the above. Any of you who have tried to practice gratitude too seen any of the aforementioned benefits or more? Please do share!

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News & Happenings

2011-04-30T17:55:00.001+04:00

I've got some news: The 'Thank You' Project's musings can now be followed on Twitter! Originally, I created an account just for myself, but quickly realized fitting all of my interests, professional or not, into one place wasn't such a good idea, so shortly after the @thankfulproject was created. The follow buttons on the right of the blog were updated accordingly!

Best Thing I've Seen All Day

2011-04-27T23:29:00.001+04:00

A priceless vintage find by seashellsbyseashore on Etsy - vintage paper Thank-U-Grams that date back to 1948-1969! Do read the statement on the back of those, posted below. How perfect is that?!.

The "Secret" Behind International Thank You Days

2011-04-18T22:09:00.002+04:00

It is believed by many that an International Thank You Day is an artificial holiday created by some clever greeting card company as a way for them to sell more cards. Such belief is mostly due to the fact that it's nearly impossible to find any information on its origin - most internet searches bring you to websites and blogs that repeat the same old thing like a mantra. Everyine is curious, makes assumptions, blames it on the people selling greeting cards, but noone realy knows.

However, it turns out there is a real living person behind the creation, and I have none other than Cat Wagman to thank for pointing me in that direction. World, meet Adrienne Sioux Koopersmith (get ready for the lady's full title) - Creator and Promoter of International Thank You Days © and Eventologist of The 21st Century ®!

Her blog is said to have more information about the subject and, apparently, the thank you days were expanded to 8 thank you days total! Naturally, I wanted to know all about it, but in a reply email from Ms. Koopersmith's assistant was told that currently she is under advisement from her attorney not to discuss any of the events she created as her and her publisher "will be releasing an EVENT-O-PEDIA ® on them since 2011 kicks off her 21st year of being 'The Eventologist'". I was assured, however, that her blog, KOOPERSMITHin, will relay more news as the book release date gets closer.

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A Year of Personal Growth

2011-04-15T21:46:00.001+04:00

A year of personal growth: what he's done in photos, I've done in words.

"When Jonathan Harris turned 30, he began a simple ritual of taking one photo a day and posting it to his website before going to sleep, along with a short story. He called this project, 'Today'. This is a short film about Jonathan's project, made a few weeks after he stopped it, by his friend, Scott Thrift."

How To Write Thank You Notes: More Tips from Author Cat Wagman

2011-04-13T12:04:00.001+04:00

My post on How to Write Thank You Notes with tips from author Cat Wagman from a while back was well received by you and it’s still popular – quite a few people stop by it while searching for just that, tips for writing a perfect thank you note. With this being said, I thought I neded to follow up on my conversation with Cat and share more of her thankful wisdom, especially since some of them are so very in line with my previous post on the cards and little thankful somethings. Here below are more useful tips from the lady herself (and remember that you can always get your own copy of her book for even more of those right here):

Pick out stationery you like that reflects the occasion, a personal interest, hobby, etc., or design your own on your computer;
Purchase commemorative stamps or design your own stamps through an online company;
You can only write one thank-you note at a time, so don't get overwhelmed if you have many to write;
Newlyweds SHARE the responsibility... She writes the ones to her family, he writes to his, and they split the rest. (Cat said she and her husband got whole 150 notes written in just THREE days using this method BEFORE going on their honeymoon, so I'm guessing it works!)
Have FUN writing your notes: thesaurus.com is a great resource for finding just the right word.

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Thank You Cards & More

2011-04-04T17:26:00.001+04:00

I have featured a number of totally awesome thank you cards, stamps, drawings, prints and whatnot in my posts on this blog and although I am sure you've noticed and liked at least a few, I think it's time I make a separate post - it seems convinient to have a place with some unusual thankful somethings should any of us need a thankful gift idea.

I'll start with something I'm totally in love with - the Live Gratitude Chickadee print by LaurieCoyleDesigns on Etsy. This is perfect to be framed and put up somewhere where you would see it every day, to be reminded what to live by!

On the fancy side, I really like all of Smythson's sophisticated 'Thank You' cards, but my favorites are those watermarked off-white paper notelets with 'thank you' motif written in multiple languages (take a closer look at those here at net-a-porter.com) - thankfulness is international and has no borders!

One of the unusual thankful creations I came across are the Thank You Envelope Seals made from vintage atlas paper by KisforCalligraphy on Etsy, I just like the idea of sealing an envelope with its own little thank you note! There are also simpler and bigger scalloped 'Thank You' envelope seals available if you don't want the mapped ones, and then there also ones made to look like they're wooden (see the picture above for it or visit KisforCalligraphy for more of those).

Also unusual and very pretty are those little Thank You Soap samples by PrettyGirlSupplies on Etsy. A little thankful soap is a very neat idea!

And last but not least, how about some thank you tags? It's like they're a fashionable twist on a traditional thank you card, just hang one and you're good to go! Check them out at rubyvictoria's Etsy shop here.

Now it's your turn! Any pretty thank you cards you know of and want to share?

Thankful Newsletter March 2011

2011-03-31T14:57:00.000+04:00

Thankful Newsletter Issue 3 is right HERE.

subscribe | view past issues | invite a friend

What Do You Appreciate Today?

2011-03-29T22:31:00.004+04:00

As promised, the YOU tab just got updated with even more thankful goodness! Head over there to get inspired and up your spirits - now or any time you're in need of a pick me up! And just like the last time, here are a few of my personal favorites for today:

"Today I appreciated a work nemesis giving me a genuine smile as we passed in the hall. It's rare, but when it happens, I'm reminded that she's not as bad as my ego would have me believe" - Rebecca Ann Dreiling

"I appreciate having legs so that I can dance!" - Teresa Ayer (San Diego, Ca, United States)

"A stranger opening the door for me. That was nice" - Brianne Nettelfield (Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada)

"The ability to let go of the sad and bring in the happiness. When my day isn't going as I'd like it to, I can think of all I'm grateful for and bring happiness back into my heart" - Patty Marcial Pelayo

"An elderly couple and their love for each other" - David

"The sound of rain outside my window + all the pea-green things it brings" - Joey Bose (London, United Kingdom)

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I Thank a Lot, But I'm Thanked Too

2011-03-15T16:15:00.003+03:00

I've had the signed copy since September, but only now finally have the time to relax with a book that is a lighter read... To help this vacation get my mind off things ;-)

Thankful Resources

2011-03-11T14:17:00.007+03:00

I am off on vacation to recharge my thankful batteries this Saturday, and thus I apologise in advance - not having regular internet access at my resort destination will definately prevent me from being a frequent vistor to your beautiful blogs! Should you feel the need for something thankful in the meantime, in the best traditions of the lovely Shannon Eileen's Happiness Is... blog, I'd like to leave you with some thankful links to various thankful resources I came across or was introduced to via the great world wide web:

1) I Gift Thanks is an iPhone application that lets you "instantly share your custom crafted photo thanks around the globe via email, Twitter, text message or post that message for all to see on the gift giver’s Facebook wall".

I found them because I realized I was on their blogroll, which was more than super sweet of them because they never asked me for anything in return - I just saw visitors coming from a new http once. Thank you, guys!

2) Chances are, you already know Thxthxthx - Leah Dieterich's online gratitude journal and there's a book coming up! Leah's "mother always told her to write thank you notes. So she does. To everything. thxthxthx is her daily exercise in gratitude." Her thanks are fun to read and her readers appreciate the honesty and opennes with which she expresses them daily.

3) I Like Your Gratitude is another online thankful effort made by Van - "a little texasian lost in the midwest with unsatiable wanderlust and a desire to change the world" whose blog is about "karma and good vibes, and spreading the happiness and love she's been so fortunate to come across".

If you visit, tell her I said "Hi" :)

4) ThankfulFor is simply your best bet if you want to start your own gratitude journal but for whatever reasons not ready to start writing daily in a physical notebook or not so into the idea of keeping up with a personal online diary, a.k.a. blog. So go "start your very own daily gratitude journal or see what everyone else is Thankfulfor in the public gratitude stream"!

Hope all of you have a great weekend filled with beautiful things to be thankful for!

P.S. The image above is taken from one of Leah Dieterich's thanks here. Yes, I sure do wish for a whole empty row of seats on my flight tomorrow!

Your Appreciation

2011-03-08T19:08:00.004+03:00

The YOU tab just got updated with lots of new beautiful thanks! Come see and share yours and stay tuned for even more of those this month. My personal favorites for today are:

"I am thankful for my age. I'll be 30 in April and though many hate turning 30, I'm so grateful to have expirienced all these years of life and look forward to many many many more" - Dee DiFonzo (Fort Worth, Texas, United States)

"My mom telling me that for the first time in over 15 years she woke up happy and had to tell me!" - Jenna Rae (Vernon BC, Canada)

"I am greatful for my father not kicking me out of the house when I showed him my tattoo" - Sarah Marie Gilbert (Middlesex, New Jersey, United States)

"I appreciate loyalty. It’s a beautiful thing and I'm thankful for the handful of people that I know that display it" - Trenton K. Childs

"I appreciate having a clean car, inside & out. It's a lovely feeling" - Saida Mustakeem Latigue

"All the decisions that I've made to put me here, where I am now, a happy happy man with so much to look forward to in the near future" - Travis Garrett (Atlantic, Iowa, United States)

Anything you also liked and/or could relate to, eh?

Image via

Closer

2011-03-04T13:35:00.001+03:00

A few weeks back in my apartment building's elevator I witnessed a situation. There were two other women inside besides me and when trying to figure out what floor we're heading to first, this is what I overheard:

- Oh, you go first, I live on the very top floor. Closer to God. - the first woman said with a smile.

- Oh... And do you guys talk often? - the second woman asked jokingly.

- Yeah... But mostly when things are not going right, which is most of the time. - the first woman replied with a sigh and a smile.

"Yeah, and when things are going good, you don't seem to feel the need for a conversation, because there's nothing to ask for at that moment" was my first frustrated thought, but unlike with the smoker in a pharmacy situation, this time I felt I didn't have any right to intervene.

Since it's not always easy to agree on the subject of religion, I want to say straigth away that this post is not about God. What it is about is one's approach to life in general. I feel that we all, whether we're atheists or believers, can agree that only asking and whining and never saying thank you and never aknowledging our blessings is just not right and won't get anyone far. Kind of sad how so many people make a choice to focus on the negative and forget about the good aspects of their existence.

I'm thankful I was yet again reminded of the importance to be grateful and of the effect my thankful year had on the way my mind worked.

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Thankful Newsletter February 2011

2011-03-01T17:46:00.000+03:00

New issue is out! View it HERE, or subscribe via email HERE.

In the meantime, my chairful soul wants to thank you for everything with the help of ABChairs. Yep, these are chairs!

All The Food I Was Thankful For

2011-02-24T22:56:00.004+03:00

When I was doing my 365 thanks year, I gave enough of thanks for various food related things, and the other day I was just wondering what specific types of food I had on my thankful menu - here it is:

- berries and berries + mascarpone

- yogurt and melon

- tiramisu

- rice

- mangos

- chocolate (but of course!) and Lindt chocolate in particular

- peanut butter

- Starbucks' Americano coffee and cheesecakes (which also happenes to be my second post on this blog!)

- scrambled eggs

- wine

- sushi

- caviar

Mmmhmm, most of my favorite foods are right here! But I guess it's no suprise! What foods are you thankful for and would add to YOUR thankful menus?*

P.S. * I kind of like the idea of such thing as a thankful menu!.. Humm!

Czech It Out: a Silly Thankful Little Thing

2011-02-20T22:59:00.001+03:00

While I am a person who truly thinks there's no such thing as a silly thing to be thankful for, I sometimes feel something is smaller in comparison to other things gratitude-wise. This is when I remind myself that these simple things are important: they might be easier to miss and have a bigger chance of going unnoticed, but they're what makes the big picture and no moment of gratitude, no matter how tiny, can be considered un-worthy.

With this being said, it was easy to be thankful for my Prague trip earlier this month, which I've mentioned here, but the thankful experience just wouldn't be the same if I didn't feel ridiculously thankful for the following three things:

a) Even while booking the trip and arranging everything to get my visa (Sadly, us Russians need visas to travel to most of the world's best destinations - this sucks big time and I am yet to find a good reason to be thankful for it!), I was already thankful for the satisfaction I felt each time I got to use my English language knowledge in a situation where it proved especially useful and where Russian would be of no help at all;

b) Then while packing for the trip and carrying my luggage all the way over to my hotel in Prague (and back!), I felt excited and thankful that I got to use my smallest case again. The luggage is my favorite but I mostly travel with the bigger one I have - that trip being a weekend trip was the only possible excuse to pack only what's needed!

c) It just felt so good to travel to a place where you know you're wanted and awaited - I was visiting a friend and this feeling of going to the right place was overwhelmingly warm and positive. The feeling of being thankful for making the right travel destination decision had lasted through all of the trip and it was present at every moment. In fact, it's still here when I think back of it!

You get my point, right? No matter how small, silly or unimportant something you feel thankful for seems, you better feel it to the fullest - there's just nothing to lose and the world to gain.

Smokers and Gratitude

2011-02-16T23:08:00.004+03:00

Standing in line at one of the local pharmacies, I suddenly smelled some smoke... Thought it was weird, but as nothing seemed to be on fire, I just kept standing. The smell seemed to get a little heavier and the next thought that crossed my mind was that it's probably coming from a new comer who must had been a really nasty smelling smoker.

When a moment later the smell got seriously disturbing I had to turn around and I couldn't believe my own eyes - there was a guy standing in line with smoke rising from a ciggarette in his hand. The scene was so shocking to me (I wish I could've seen my own face at this time) that my brain didn't even give me a chance to think before I declared my "Woah! Young man! Are you serious?!. Standing in line at a PHARMACY and SMOKING?!. Couldn't you have done it outside before coming in?!."

I guess it was said in my most sincere manner and in my most disturbed voice with the most amused look in my wide opened eyes as the guy looked me in the eyes, said nothing and left immidiately. It's only a moment later when I saw his back in the doorway that the reality came back to me - speaking thoughtfully for the first time since my thinking was shuttered by shock, I could only remember to give away a loud and sincere "THANK YOU!!"

V'Day

2011-02-14T21:57:00.001+03:00

Sending lots of LOVELOVELOVE to all the thankful people on this St. Valentine's Day!

From me to you,

Julia

P.S. The photo's taken last weekend in Prague; it's of me next to Lennon's Wall.

Travelling & Thanking

2011-02-09T11:46:00.000+03:00

Two weeks ago on Facebook I asked our fellow thankful facebookers whether they tried to learn saying "thank you" in the language of the country of their destination when they traveled internationally, and was delighted to be reminded that "hello" and "thank you" were the most important.

Personally, I must admit that even though I try, I don't always use my "thankful" language knowledge... It's mostly because I want to sound flawless when I pronunce the word, and when it just doesn't come out perfectly I get shy about actually saying it to locals. I'm thinking now, it's either I should stop wanting to sound like a native and just go for it or start putting in even more effort. Anyways, the reason I had an idea to ask the question was because I had a trip coming up, and now that I'm back from gorgeous Prague, I can thank you in Czech - děkuji!

What's your story with thanking in other languages? And how many ways can YOU say "thank you"?

Image via

Thankful Newsletter

2011-01-30T00:53:00.003+03:00

Some of you asked me before if there was a way to follow the thanks via email... Now there is, I've just launched the Thankful Newsletter!

You might want to sign up if you're interested in my updates but no other existing way of following this blog is convinient for you, or if you want to stay up to date with thankful happenings on various social media - after all, the newsletter is made to feature a summary of the most appreciated content from both the blog and the Facebook page. Or maybe you just like recieving newsletters.

You can view The 'Thank You' Project's very first newsletter HERE, and if you want to subscribe, you can do so by simply clicking HERE, or by clicking the envelope icon on top right of the blog's sidebar. Either way, thank you and do let me know what you think!

P.S. Some of you have already received a copy of my Thankful Newsletter and have been automatically subcribed to it. If you're one of these people, you should know that it happened because you used The 'Thank You' Project's official email address to contact me. So please, check your inboxes, take a look at the newsletter and unsubscribe if you wish!

All The Things to Be Thankful For

2011-01-24T14:00:00.023+03:00

All the simple things in life we are sometimes so quick to forget, all the things to be thankful for - all in this beautifully told short video story:

"Once upon a time in a country far far away a boy lived, very different from all the others. His name was Eftichis. Everything ran smoothly in his life until one day, many many years ago an incident made him see life from a different perspective. And suddenly, a big secret was revealed."

Small Pleasures by Constantin Pilavios

Listen: My Interview With Australian Radio FM99.3

2011-01-21T12:25:00.003+03:00

Took me some time, but I think I've found a really good way to upload my Breakfast In Bed radio show interview and it is via YourListen! I kind of like it how their color scheme is so in line with that of North Shore's FM99.3, however, this is not why I chose them and the color coordination wasn't on purpose!.. Just a little extra something to smile about it.

Here's the interview, please enjoy if you listen and don't hold back sharing your feedback! I believe I can handle some constructive critisism if needed, ha!..

How To Write Thank You Notes: 6 Tips from Author Cat Wagman

2011-01-16T17:31:00.002+03:00

I’ve just recently had the pleasure of personally talking to Cat Wagman about her book “Why… THANK YOU!”, where she uses an example of the thank-you note as a “teaching vehicle” to help kids and grown-ups alike discover and develop their writing voices. When I asked Mrs. Wagman what were her personal feelings about thank you notes, this is what she had to say:

“I have always felt that writing thank-you notes is a simple way to express gratitude and connect one-on-one on a personal level. I also believe that your handwriting is an extension of your personality and style, and as you read a personalized, handwritten note, you hear the writer's voice in your mind. This is particular true of letters and notes from my late relatives, something that email or texting can never do.”

All so very true, isn't it? Cat has also kindly agreed to share some of her thankful writing tips to consider before writing a thank you note, here they are:

Think of a thank-you note as an enjoyable mini-adventure in creative writing, not as an etiquette chore;
All you need is 3-5 sentences, and…
… it's okay to use your imagination and sense of humor;
If you have received a lot of gifts, write a short description on the back of the card that came with the gift, along with any notes about gift giver's address, relationship to you, etc.;
Motivational tip: Can't use the gift until the note is written!
Draw on your five senses for adjectives and other items, such as how the gift will be used, etc., to build a foundation of facts, before writing your note.

My personal favorite tip is the tip number 5! This is sure to work for bigger procrastinators out there, something of which I am occasionally guilty too!..

New Year, New Undertaking: Chairs

2011-01-13T14:41:00.001+03:00

It's no secret between you and I that I have a thing for chairs. I've expressed thanks for them in 2009 and in 2010, and the start of 2011 marks my newest chair undertaking - I am now a contributor at the awesome ChairBlog!

You've been very supportive and tolerative of my passion and its expression on this blog and I really do appreciate that. Now that I'm taking it to a new level, I hope not to bother you with chairs here and hope to see you at the ChairBlog - you can take a look at my very first chair contribution here. Come tell me what you think!..

Chairs,

Julia

International Thank You Day

2011-01-11T13:00:00.145+03:00

Each year January 11th is marked as International Thank You Day and it being a slightly magical 1/11/11 today makes it even cooler! The origin of the holiday seems to be unknown and many believe it was artificially created by some clever greeting cards company to help generate more sales, but it doesn't really make the concept less appealing, does it?

All that is expected of you to participate in the International Thank You Day celebration is to show your appreciation to the people who make your life beautiful. A reason good enough to pen a thank you note to someone special, or even to yourself!

My life has just recently been majorily beautified by my first ever radio appearance and even more so since I knew I had my friends in gratitude (these would be you!) to share this amazing experience with, so I want to express my most sincere thanks to all those who wished me well and tuned in to listen to the show! I must admit I was slightly nervous but these 3 hours that the show lasted were some of the most beautiful hours of my life.

I also know that some of you sent kind words of feedback to Karen, the show's host and my amazing interviewer, and even though I don't know who exactly did it, I want to thank you for that!..

UPDATE: Read on for The 'Secret' Behind International Thank You Days

Images via

Radio Show Interview!

2011-01-07T19:54:00.007+03:00

I'm super thankful and excited to announce that I've been honored to be interviewed by an Australian radio station North Shore's FM99.3!

This coming weekend the Breakfast In Bed program's theme is gratitude and their schedule is chock-full of great segments on the topic so it's definately worth getting up earlier for! Here below is the full schedule, which you can also take a look at on their website:

If you're located in Australia tune in to FM99.3 this Sunday at 9:30 am (Sydney time) to hear me speak on The 'Thank You' Project and the upcoming thankful book.

If you're located elsewhere use a world time zone converter to figure out what time it's going to be in your city and country when it's 9:30 am in Sydney, so you can listen to my interview ONLINE, following this link.

I am totally curious to hear what I sound like on the radio and totally curious to hear your thoughts on it too, so don't be shy to stop by and share your feedback once it's all done! Big thanks to Karen of Breakfast In Bed for making it happen, and I'll "see" you all on Sunday!

P.S. To ensure the online webstreaming works for you, it is advised to try it out or download the needed software beforehand.

UPDATE: Click here to listen to the record of my interview!