1. Send sincere, handwritten Thank You notes whenever you can.
2. Send your Thank You notes within a week (two weeks at the latest). But better late than never!
3. Use images of your art on your Thank You notes.
4. Start most of your email responses with “Thank You” as in “Thank you for contacting me” or “Thank you for sharing your thoughts.”
5. Thank people on Twitter, Facebook, and in your blog posts whenever it’s appropriate.
6. Thank people in person by looking into their eyes–even to the clerks at the grocery store.
7. Get into the practice of writing down your gratitudes on a regular basis.
8. Stop yourself whenever you’re feeling bitter, gossipy, complain-y, or just whiny. Remember all you have to be grateful for. This is something I like to tell myself: “If this is the worst thing that happened to me today, I think I’ll be okay.”
9. Enjoy the Thanksgiving meal to its fullest–knowing that it comes around only once a year.
10. Wear pants with an elastic waist on Thanksgiving. Or don’t. Depends on your plans for after the big meal.
11. Take a walk on Thanksgiving day. Get some fresh air and exercise.
13 thoughts on “Your 11-point Task List for Giving Thanks”
Thank you Alyson for this thoughtful list – I am grateful.
Thank you Alyson! I think that “10. Wear pants with an elastic waist on Thanksgiving. Or don’t. Depends on your plans for after the big meal.” is my favorite. It made me laugh… out loud even.
Thank you Alison for your excellent blog.
I would just like to add that I do wish that some clients would also say “thank you”. I recently sent artwork to two buyers who did not get back to me for over a week after it was received. I take a huge amount of care and time to pack well and enclose a personal note etc. Eventually after a couple of emails from me and in one case a letter, they acknowledged the delivery. Everything was fine and they “adored” the work, but apart from anything else isn’t it just a courtesy and a kindness to say thank you? I suppose buying a piece of art is, for some, just like buying an item of clothing, but original art is someone’s time, experience, passion, skill, and the result of much consideration and thought..sometimes just that simple “thank you” is worth more than the money!
and it would help if I spelt your name correctly..:) forgive me I am a Brit! ..but the thought is there.
Thank you for the fantastic and inspiring book, blog and website. Thank you for your spirit and enthusiasm that comes through in all of of the materials you have so generously offered to all of us. I am so grateful that my good friend Armond Scavo, who attended one of your seminars in Delaware a few years back, called me up upon returning and said, “You’ve got to check out this woman’s book. She’s amazing.”
Hi Alyson,
What an inspiration you are for me. I discovered you and your insight in Art Calendar magazine. I’ll follow you on Twitter. Thanks, Liz Ktichens
Thank you for this great list and all you do to help artists!
Amen to your task list. Gratitude can be cultivated! Your book is great and I love this blog. It’s very helpful. (p.s. a friend of mine calls those pants “buffet pants”…:o))
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