The ObservatoryThe gratitude letter
Write a real thank-you to someone who mattered to you, and who has never heard it said.
How it works
- Choose a personWrite
- Remember the concreteWrite
- Write the letterWrite
- Pass it onChoose
Think of someone who made a difference for you, and whom you have never really thanked. A teacher, a friend, a relative, a former boss. Not the most obvious choice. The one who slipped by.
Exercise in 4 steps, about 12 minutes. Doing it is part of Premium, which you try free for 7 days with no card. With Premium your answers are saved so you can pick up where you left off and look back at what you wrote.
Try PremiumThe rest of the text and the exercise are part of Premium. You try everything for 7 days with no card, and can cancel whenever you like. Sign in if you already have an account.
Why does it work?
Seligman, Steen, Park & Peterson (2005), Positive Psychology Progress: the gratitude letter and the "gratitude visit" gave the largest boost one month after the exercise in a randomized controlled study, but the effect had faded after six months. What held up were the three good things exercise and using one's strengths in new ways.
Account, your first assessment with the hexagon and one new measurement every quarter are free. The rest is part of Premium: SEK 99 a month or SEK 699 a year, VAT included.
Read more
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