Day 73 of 90 · Connection
Write a gratitude letter
“I wrote to my old teacher to say thank you. My hands were shaking when I sent it.” — Kai
Today's action · 15 min
Spend 15 minutes writing a letter to someone who helped you but never got a proper thank-you. Be specific about what they did and how it affected you. Send it or read it to them if you can.
Why it works
In a randomised study by Seligman and colleagues, writing and delivering a gratitude letter, called the gratitude visit, gave people a boost in happiness and fewer depressive symptoms for about a month. It's one of the best-tested exercises in positive psychology.
Source: Positive Psychology Progress: Empirical Validation of Interventions (Seligman et al., 2005)
Educational content, not medical advice. If you are struggling, contact a qualified professional (Lifeline 13 11 14 in Australia, 988 in the US).