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I Want to Thank You: How a Year of Gratitude Can Bring Joy and Meaning in a Disconnected World
An inspiring guide to saying thank you, one heartfelt note at a time.
We all know that gratitude is good for us--but the real magic comes when we express it. Writer Gina Hamadey learned this life-changing lesson firsthand when a case of burnout and too many hours on social media left her feeling depleted and disconnected. In this engaging book, she chronicles how twelve months spent writing 365 thank-you notes to strangers, neighbors, family members, and friends shifted her perspective. Her journey shows that developing a lasting active gratitude practice can make you a happier person, heal complicated relationships, and reconnect you with the people you love--all with just a little bit of bravery at the mailbox.
How can we turn an often-dreaded task into a rewarding act of self-care that makes us feel more present, joyful, and connected? Whether we're writing to a long-lost friend, a helpful neighbor, or a child's teacher, this inspiring book helps us reflect on meaningful memories and shared experiences and express ourselves with authenticity, vulnerability, and heart. Informed by Hamadey's year of discovery as well as interviews with experts on relationships, gratitude, and more, this deceptively simple guide offers a powerful way to jump-start your joy.
Hamadey found herself thanking not only family members and friends, but less expected people in her sphere, including local shopkeepers, physical therapists, long-ago career mentors, favorite authors, and more. Once you get going, you might find yourself cultivating an active gratitude practice, too--one heartfelt note of thanks at a time.
We all know that gratitude is good for us--but the real magic comes when we express it. Writer Gina Hamadey learned this life-changing lesson firsthand when a case of burnout and too many hours on social media left her feeling depleted and disconnected. In this engaging book, she chronicles how twelve months spent writing 365 thank-you notes to strangers, neighbors, family members, and friends shifted her perspective. Her journey shows that developing a lasting active gratitude practice can make you a happier person, heal complicated relationships, and reconnect you with the people you love--all with just a little bit of bravery at the mailbox.
How can we turn an often-dreaded task into a rewarding act of self-care that makes us feel more present, joyful, and connected? Whether we're writing to a long-lost friend, a helpful neighbor, or a child's teacher, this inspiring book helps us reflect on meaningful memories and shared experiences and express ourselves with authenticity, vulnerability, and heart. Informed by Hamadey's year of discovery as well as interviews with experts on relationships, gratitude, and more, this deceptively simple guide offers a powerful way to jump-start your joy.
Hamadey found herself thanking not only family members and friends, but less expected people in her sphere, including local shopkeepers, physical therapists, long-ago career mentors, favorite authors, and more. Once you get going, you might find yourself cultivating an active gratitude practice, too--one heartfelt note of thanks at a time.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2021
55 people are currently reading
822 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
April 19, 2021
A friend of mine knows the author of this book. It's sweet, straight forward and totally engaging. The author believes that by focusing outward and thanking others, it can create happiness and peace for all parties involved. She outlines how she wrote 365 thank-you notes in one year by organizing her recipients into categories. I've kept a gratitude journal of some sorts for many years and have always loved letter writing. This book inspired me to try out this idea. Now, I know I won't be writing 365 notes, but I can write 1 -2 notes a week. I love the idea of reconnecting with old friends, thanking strangers and just letting those people in my life know that they matter to me. I loved this book and the idea of creating an environment of gratitude.
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January 9, 2022I just finished Hamadey's book and I'm still smiling from ear to ear. Her writing is engaging, accessible, and memorable all while feeling like I'm sitting across the table from a good friend and catching up on life. This isn't just a bunch of gratitude platitudes (see what I did there, ha!) but instead a well-researched and compelling book on the power of turning outward and recognizing those who contribute to one's own happiness - in tiny ways, in grand gestures, and everything in between. I'd highly recommend this book for anyone looking to pause, step away from their phones, and reflect upon all the pieces that come together to make life great. Beautiful book!
September 3, 2021
An enjoyable read about gratefulness and the steps the author took to bring more gratitude into her life. I agree with other readers saying she seems to live a charmed life, though she does acknowledge her privilege multiple times through the book at least. I don't think I could necessarily do what she did, but I know that I want to start incorporating more gratitude into my life in some of the ways she suggested.
June 9, 2024
“Feeling gratitude is crucial, but expressing it is where the magic happens.” (p. 186)
September 17, 2021
Inspiring at some level with some great ideas for how to do a novel "thank you card" (photo from the past with a "remember when ..."). Gratitude and the joy of sharing is such a needed bonus in the world right now when global morale is generally low. At the same time, the author paints her life in a relatively privileged way that feels similar to how social media leads us to believe that the grass is *always* greener in the other side of the fence. Overall good idea, and her goal is a significant undertaking, however felt a little like a small project to read and a bit of a self pat on the back.
August 24, 2022
Well, this was a joyful discovery! Looking at gratitude techniques for work I happened upon an article in Elle magazine by Gina Hamadey. It was based on this book and how writing it, and performing the tasks she recounts in it, impacted her life.
Part memoir, part self-help book it also provides a glimpse into how an experienced journalist approaches a writing project - initially using magazines’ editorial calendars as a template to structure her project and then in reaching out to mentors and finally (following a suggestion from a mentor) wrapping the thank you note project into book form.
As a poe-faced Brit there are a few places in which I felt like I was prying into Hamadey’s personal life a little too much, but as a poe-faced Brit with plenty American friends I know I’m being repressed and a bit nonsensical. As a professional journalist Hamadey is completely in control of what and how much she shares, and I just need to get over myself.
In fact one main takeaway from the book is that we all need to get over ourselves a little. Both Hamadey’s anecdotes and the researchers she interviews confirm that the awkwardness we worry might ensue when we thank people almost never does. Receiving thanks means far more to the recipient than we imagine, and, as Hamadey found, both old out-of-touch friends and newer weak ties became closer to her as a result of her giving them genuine notes of thanks and praise.
Even where human to human closeness was neither the outcome nor the intention of the notes - as when she wrote to big name authors whose books had influenced her - Hamadey herself experienced major positive outcomes. Considering why particular works of fiction meant so much to her brought her closer to herself and reminded her of her core values as a writer and a person.
All in all, a charming and joyful book. I was not expecting to find it tonight, nor to inhale it in one sitting. But here we are. Five stars and many thanks, Gina Hamadey.
---
I Want To Thank You by @gina.hamadey was one of my reading highlights this year, and I was delighted that my APDO Book Club Co-organiser Nicola agreed to include it in our book selections. Then I was even more delighted when Gina Hamadey agreed to come along to our meeting.
Many positive psychology authors posit writing thank you notes as a therapeutic and cathartic form of journaling. Where Hamadey’s account goes one further is in that she has actually *posted* her thank yous to all the living people in her book - from neighbours and friends to @mariekondo, whose festival of tidying she credits with starting her on her journey towards her year of thanks.
Quite honestly, this is a book of joy and laughter just as much as it is one of reflection and sitting with self-revelation. As well as sharing her letters (and, I have to say, the one to Kondo is a real highlight for us organiser types), Hamadey has used her skills as a journalist to research the psychology of gratitude and to interview sociologists, psychologists and therapists who use gratitude practices themselves and with their clients.
The resulting book is open, honest and packed full of ideas. You can adopt some or all of them, and can adapt them to suite your own circumstances. I’ve already used some as “model answers” for some clients who want to write their own thanks (for sending or, more usually, simply to get them out their head and onto paper) but who are unsure where to start. Everyone with whom I’ve shared one or two of Hamadey’s letters has gone on to buy the book or borrow it from the library.
Now I’m looking forward to hearing what other APDO Book Club members think, when we meet to discuss it tonight.
Part memoir, part self-help book it also provides a glimpse into how an experienced journalist approaches a writing project - initially using magazines’ editorial calendars as a template to structure her project and then in reaching out to mentors and finally (following a suggestion from a mentor) wrapping the thank you note project into book form.
As a poe-faced Brit there are a few places in which I felt like I was prying into Hamadey’s personal life a little too much, but as a poe-faced Brit with plenty American friends I know I’m being repressed and a bit nonsensical. As a professional journalist Hamadey is completely in control of what and how much she shares, and I just need to get over myself.
In fact one main takeaway from the book is that we all need to get over ourselves a little. Both Hamadey’s anecdotes and the researchers she interviews confirm that the awkwardness we worry might ensue when we thank people almost never does. Receiving thanks means far more to the recipient than we imagine, and, as Hamadey found, both old out-of-touch friends and newer weak ties became closer to her as a result of her giving them genuine notes of thanks and praise.
Even where human to human closeness was neither the outcome nor the intention of the notes - as when she wrote to big name authors whose books had influenced her - Hamadey herself experienced major positive outcomes. Considering why particular works of fiction meant so much to her brought her closer to herself and reminded her of her core values as a writer and a person.
All in all, a charming and joyful book. I was not expecting to find it tonight, nor to inhale it in one sitting. But here we are. Five stars and many thanks, Gina Hamadey.
---
I Want To Thank You by @gina.hamadey was one of my reading highlights this year, and I was delighted that my APDO Book Club Co-organiser Nicola agreed to include it in our book selections. Then I was even more delighted when Gina Hamadey agreed to come along to our meeting.
Many positive psychology authors posit writing thank you notes as a therapeutic and cathartic form of journaling. Where Hamadey’s account goes one further is in that she has actually *posted* her thank yous to all the living people in her book - from neighbours and friends to @mariekondo, whose festival of tidying she credits with starting her on her journey towards her year of thanks.
Quite honestly, this is a book of joy and laughter just as much as it is one of reflection and sitting with self-revelation. As well as sharing her letters (and, I have to say, the one to Kondo is a real highlight for us organiser types), Hamadey has used her skills as a journalist to research the psychology of gratitude and to interview sociologists, psychologists and therapists who use gratitude practices themselves and with their clients.
The resulting book is open, honest and packed full of ideas. You can adopt some or all of them, and can adapt them to suite your own circumstances. I’ve already used some as “model answers” for some clients who want to write their own thanks (for sending or, more usually, simply to get them out their head and onto paper) but who are unsure where to start. Everyone with whom I’ve shared one or two of Hamadey’s letters has gone on to buy the book or borrow it from the library.
Now I’m looking forward to hearing what other APDO Book Club members think, when we meet to discuss it tonight.
July 21, 2021
Gina Hamadey decided to write thank-you notes during her commute instead of checking other tasks on her to-do list. What resulted was an entire year spent conveying gratitude through 365 handwritten notes as Gina wrote a thank-you note per day to someone or something new in her life, neighbors, friends, family members, mentors, and healthcare workers. Reflecting on her childhood and relationships, Gina shows us the joy that defined her year and tells us how we can start our own "journey to gratitude."
This book was such a clever idea. I love that the author started with her community and the guy at the butcher shop. She also shares some tips on how to make writing notes more fun. The whole premise of reconnecting with people and deepening the connections we have is so important. Writing a simple note is an easy and sweet, and thoughtful thing we can all do.
She says, "As I sent the cards off to houses I've never seen in California and Seattle and Chicago, I thought about how keeping old friendships alive took time and that time was something we once had but no longer do. When time becomes scarce, why is friendship the first thing to be sacrificed? Maybe it explains social media's rocketing rise. We are all craving the friendships we had when we were younger, and we settle for this faux version because it's all we think we have time for. This month's correspondence took a little effort and time, to be sure, but it meant more than a social media smiley face, and it was more efficient than scheduling twenty-six catch-up phone calls."
To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://zibbyowens.com/transcript/gin...
This book was such a clever idea. I love that the author started with her community and the guy at the butcher shop. She also shares some tips on how to make writing notes more fun. The whole premise of reconnecting with people and deepening the connections we have is so important. Writing a simple note is an easy and sweet, and thoughtful thing we can all do.
She says, "As I sent the cards off to houses I've never seen in California and Seattle and Chicago, I thought about how keeping old friendships alive took time and that time was something we once had but no longer do. When time becomes scarce, why is friendship the first thing to be sacrificed? Maybe it explains social media's rocketing rise. We are all craving the friendships we had when we were younger, and we settle for this faux version because it's all we think we have time for. This month's correspondence took a little effort and time, to be sure, but it meant more than a social media smiley face, and it was more efficient than scheduling twenty-six catch-up phone calls."
To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://zibbyowens.com/transcript/gin...
Read
January 18, 2022I feel several confusing ways about this book. 1) A year of writing thank you notes is awesome. Hamadey is correct that we spent too much time on our phones and too little time connecting with people and that, ultimately, that's deeply harmful in ways we don't fully realize. 2) Reading this (okay, some of this) book made me realize that a lot of what I'm missing in my current life are those weak ties and I'm making as many Covid-safe ways to gain more weak ties as possible.
But, and this was a big but for me -- the entire book read like someone's very carefully structured Instagram feed, only without pictures. This is not a memoir and it's not supposed to be a memoir, but it reads both deeply personal and like the filter is *very good.* That Hamadey only seemed to recognize how privileged she was with the housekeeper and not, say, have the time and money to travel was also a bit off. Maybe she does and it's just the style of the book, but it still bugged me.
So... I love this book for the inspiration to write more thank you notes and generally be more grateful, but I didn't really love the book
But, and this was a big but for me -- the entire book read like someone's very carefully structured Instagram feed, only without pictures. This is not a memoir and it's not supposed to be a memoir, but it reads both deeply personal and like the filter is *very good.* That Hamadey only seemed to recognize how privileged she was with the housekeeper and not, say, have the time and money to travel was also a bit off. Maybe she does and it's just the style of the book, but it still bugged me.
So... I love this book for the inspiration to write more thank you notes and generally be more grateful, but I didn't really love the book
December 13, 2024
I did the year of gratitude. It was mostly a good experience. I got to tell people how much they mean to me and not just friends but a wide variety of people following the monthly themes. My issue was sometimes feeling jealous of the author. There were a few themes where I just didn’t have that kind of support in my life. I think these holes were things I didn’t think about much before and this book made me feel sad where I wouldn’t have- it showed me what’s missing. I spoke with the author and she reminded me that she did say not every theme would apply to everyone but I forgot about that because I’d read that warning back in January. November’s prompt was to thank all the family you had Thanksgiving with (I did not have Thanksgiving with family) and December was thank your spouse (my spouse is dead). I would have liked other ideas of people to thank instead of just being bummed about not having these supports.
Gina Hamadey and I had a good conversation about all this. I feel we understand each other now. She’s super nice. I just still want to say how this book made me feel as a trigger warning for anyone who plans to do the project.
Gina Hamadey and I had a good conversation about all this. I feel we understand each other now. She’s super nice. I just still want to say how this book made me feel as a trigger warning for anyone who plans to do the project.
February 3, 2025
Memoir
I really liked this book cause I'm the person that still wants young people (and anyone who has a baby/wedding/engagement shower) to give thank you cards after receiving an expensive or thoughtful gift.
It really made me think, as Hamadey went month by month with her specific topics, what and who I would write to/about. And while I admittedly haven't written the thank you cards, I've tried to make a bit more of an effort with these people on the day to day and to compliment a little more freely and show my appreciation more.
I'm not even sure why I picked up this book, but I'm glad I did. I remember sobbing during one of the chapters too, and it made me realize that sometimes we think we have more time than we actually do. So make sure your loved ones (and people who are special to you) know that they are appreciated.
I really liked this book cause I'm the person that still wants young people (and anyone who has a baby/wedding/engagement shower) to give thank you cards after receiving an expensive or thoughtful gift.
It really made me think, as Hamadey went month by month with her specific topics, what and who I would write to/about. And while I admittedly haven't written the thank you cards, I've tried to make a bit more of an effort with these people on the day to day and to compliment a little more freely and show my appreciation more.
I'm not even sure why I picked up this book, but I'm glad I did. I remember sobbing during one of the chapters too, and it made me realize that sometimes we think we have more time than we actually do. So make sure your loved ones (and people who are special to you) know that they are appreciated.
July 1, 2021
I loved everything about this book from Gina's beautiful writing, to the sweet and funny anecdotes, to the beautiful illustrations. It has already made me more conscious of all of the little things to be grateful for around me and to acknowledge the people that are doing these things! Thank YOU Gina!
October 18, 2021
Encourages me to express more thanks, and to get past the 'squirmy' feeling of doing so!
February 11, 2022
This is one of those life changing books. I’ve been a letter writer all my life so I already understood a bit of what she was getting at, but there were little gems throughout. The book was divided into very nice little sections, making reading even easier. The book was written for people younger than myself but I still found it informative and certainly uplifting.
I’m buying copies for my granddaughters’ schools since there is a profound piece applicable to schools and uplifting their culture through a very relevant section.
I’m buying copies for my granddaughters’ schools since there is a profound piece applicable to schools and uplifting their culture through a very relevant section.
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December 28, 2023DNFed. I made it to the month of July in this before I finally just had to let it go. It is sooo repetitive and just says the same things over and over again. I really did love the idea of the thank you notes and the brief discussions about what thankfulness and gratitude does for us and the people around us, but I wish we could’ve gotten more stories about the people who received these notes. Or I wish we could have just stopped getting the same three lessons repeated every chapter.
November 11, 2025
Inspired by this book to write more notes of gratitude. Amazing that she wrote notes of gratitude for an entire year with a theme/focus for each month. Some parts seemed a bit too personal though.
August 19, 2024
100% agree with the title. My dad has been a thank-you note writer since I was little.
What I loved most about this book is how it's organized and encourages readers to create a system/schedule for writing thank you notes. It's organized by month (Jan-Dec), but anyone can start their 365 days of thank you notes at any month/day of the year. Make a plan... don't just start writing notes.
What I loved most about this book is how it's organized and encourages readers to create a system/schedule for writing thank you notes. It's organized by month (Jan-Dec), but anyone can start their 365 days of thank you notes at any month/day of the year. Make a plan... don't just start writing notes.
July 3, 2021
This book really inspired me. I loved the simplicity and mix of tips/suggestions with personal anecdotes.
July 2, 2021
Breezy quick read encouraging starting a gratitude practice that benefits giver, recipient and those exposed to the letter exchanges, especially our children.
May 11, 2021
5/5 stars
This was great! The kind of book you can return to time and again and still find something in.
This was great! The kind of book you can return to time and again and still find something in.
June 18, 2021
A great, easy read! I was prepared to feel guilty for not taking up a similar project but instead I found myself thinking about how I could incorporate more thank you notes into my regular routine - without the pressure of making it a "project." It definitely got me thinking about all the people in my life that deserve some gratitude!
January 3, 2022
This is a book that grew on me. I started out thinking the content was cute but probably more suited to a shorter article in The Oprah Magazine, of which the author is a former employee. Sometimes the amount of detailed information felt excessive. Do we really need to know the specifics of the writing supplies used, or notes composed? And yet, to be immersed in the totality of this experience, to have it wash over the reader as it did the writer, perhaps we do need this much information. (And TBH, I would have appreciated even more information in a references section.) After reading this as my first book of 2022, I am certainly inspired to start the new year with a greater focus on practicing gratitude with intentionality.
January 24, 2024
This was a little more of a memoir than a how to write thank you cards. I liked the beginning but I am personally not interested in birth stories on how you pushed your son out of your vagina. Or all the great stories on traveling in your early 20s to Europe and Asia and fancy New York City restaurants and calling your life very flawed and imperfect. I liked her positive attitude and hearing about some of the challenges though. She seems very nice I wish I was her neighbor and we could talk about the weather or I could give her WD40. Just a little bit long for what I had thought this book would be.
December 29, 2021
This book came across as very surface level. It seemed like she just really wanted to write a book because the magazine industry went to crap, and this was the best idea she could come up with. I like the idea of writing thank you notes, but she could have said that in a lot less words, or have gone deeper in her stories of gratitude.
April 21, 2023
Inspired me to consider doing a year of Thank Yous and to acknowledge my gratitudes throughout the day or as they come to mind.
February 6, 2025
Simple but charming story of the power of gratitude in everyday life.
August 11, 2021
Everything about today was an unexpected gift. My son woke up feeling sick, which was sad, but immediately took me out of my agenda and into being fully present. I sat with him all day and just enjoyed the gift of being near without trying to do a dozen other things. As he rested, I picked up I Want To Thank You and quickly began devouring it. I did not expect to be so moved. I had to hold back tears several times, some joyful and some that just ripped holes through fears and insecurities I have believed and lived. I felt such passion stirring within me as I read about Gina's journey. It relit a fire deep inside of me and reminded me of my dreams for a 3rd Place. I haven't felt this energized in a long time. I am not sure I would have even read today if not given this invitation to pause and just let everything go. It was what I have been needing and craving.
Oh the power of the written word. Of seeing people and honoring them. Taking the time to speak those thing out and that those written words matter; they deeply matter. Over the last year I have added the practice of reflecting on the good at the end of each day and then offering up what is too much for me to carry. It's been a game changer! I have also penciled in a thinking of you card each week, but I have really failed quite miserably at follow-through on this one. I know the importance of this, so I keep writing it down every week in my planner, but most weeks it is left unchecked. Gina's ideas left me inspired again.
I love story and pictures and am newly energized to merge those two gifts into building a life that just oozes with gratitude. All of the little things really matter. It is the small steps that make a beautiful journey. Thank you for this gift Gina. I will be forever grateful for your intentionality and willingness to share what that has looked like for you. God used you to stir hope in me today.
I checked this book out from the library and will be requesting a copy for my birthday, as I will want to reference it and be reminded of its truth many times over. This is definitely on my top five books to read this year and I have read a lot of great books this year! I think that hearts cultivated in gratitude are exactly what we need right now. It is love to an aching humanity.
I will also say that the aesthetics and layout of this book just make me happy. A nice smooth, hard cover bound book with beautiful sketches, coupled with poignant chapters that can be devoured, and a beautiful list of practicals at the end of each chapter to empower you to create your own journey towards gratitude. I cannot say enough good things! Just go buy it and let that love spread!
Oh the power of the written word. Of seeing people and honoring them. Taking the time to speak those thing out and that those written words matter; they deeply matter. Over the last year I have added the practice of reflecting on the good at the end of each day and then offering up what is too much for me to carry. It's been a game changer! I have also penciled in a thinking of you card each week, but I have really failed quite miserably at follow-through on this one. I know the importance of this, so I keep writing it down every week in my planner, but most weeks it is left unchecked. Gina's ideas left me inspired again.
I love story and pictures and am newly energized to merge those two gifts into building a life that just oozes with gratitude. All of the little things really matter. It is the small steps that make a beautiful journey. Thank you for this gift Gina. I will be forever grateful for your intentionality and willingness to share what that has looked like for you. God used you to stir hope in me today.
I checked this book out from the library and will be requesting a copy for my birthday, as I will want to reference it and be reminded of its truth many times over. This is definitely on my top five books to read this year and I have read a lot of great books this year! I think that hearts cultivated in gratitude are exactly what we need right now. It is love to an aching humanity.
I will also say that the aesthetics and layout of this book just make me happy. A nice smooth, hard cover bound book with beautiful sketches, coupled with poignant chapters that can be devoured, and a beautiful list of practicals at the end of each chapter to empower you to create your own journey towards gratitude. I cannot say enough good things! Just go buy it and let that love spread!
August 29, 2023
Author Gina Hamadey @gina.hamadey went on an awesome quest to write 365 thank you notes in a year- one for every day. She writes, “This book is a blueprint for incorporating gratitude into your life in a lasting way. The good news is that you don't have to write 365 thank you notes, as I did. You get to decide how many notes you’d like to write in your Thank You Year: It could be one card every week or one per month. Or you can save on postage and call an old friend or email a long-ago mentor. If you do any of the above, you'll start to experience the many benefits of expressing gratitude. I hope it brings as much joy and connection to your life as it has to mine.”
Just reading who and what she was grateful for made me reflect on my own gratitude for the people and places I’ve been. If you need a pick-me-up, even if it doesn’t spark you to write 365 thank you notes :) this book will do the trick.
As she was beginning the project, she noticed something on her commute: “I alternated between writing the remaining thank you notes and scrolling through my social feeds. I started to notice something: On the days when I would write, the ride seemed to slow, and I would leave the train feeling as though a veil had been lifted. I felt hopeful, optimistic, and present--a mood that would carry into my day. On the days when I would lose myself in social feeds, I would emerge feeling distracted, restless, almost ragged.”
Each chapter outlines new ideas for writing your gratitude- neighbors, friends, parenting, health, home, food, travel, family, love, career, etc. And some good news- “There’s scientific evidence that expressing gratitude improves relationships. Sara Algoe, the director of the Emotions and Social Interactions in Relationships Laboratory at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, posited what she called the "find-remind-and-bind theory of gratitude." Expressing gratitude to someone serves to find or remind you of the good in a relationship, and, she wrote, it "helps to bind recipient and benefactor closer together.””
Just reading who and what she was grateful for made me reflect on my own gratitude for the people and places I’ve been. If you need a pick-me-up, even if it doesn’t spark you to write 365 thank you notes :) this book will do the trick.
As she was beginning the project, she noticed something on her commute: “I alternated between writing the remaining thank you notes and scrolling through my social feeds. I started to notice something: On the days when I would write, the ride seemed to slow, and I would leave the train feeling as though a veil had been lifted. I felt hopeful, optimistic, and present--a mood that would carry into my day. On the days when I would lose myself in social feeds, I would emerge feeling distracted, restless, almost ragged.”
Each chapter outlines new ideas for writing your gratitude- neighbors, friends, parenting, health, home, food, travel, family, love, career, etc. And some good news- “There’s scientific evidence that expressing gratitude improves relationships. Sara Algoe, the director of the Emotions and Social Interactions in Relationships Laboratory at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, posited what she called the "find-remind-and-bind theory of gratitude." Expressing gratitude to someone serves to find or remind you of the good in a relationship, and, she wrote, it "helps to bind recipient and benefactor closer together.””
November 16, 2025
As we approached November, I knew I wanted to read a few books about gratitude. This is my second one and it may have the longterm effect of enhancing my life in ways that few books ever will. Look out, 2026...you're my gratitude year.
"Gratitude is strong medicine. It helps us see what’s there instead of pining for what’s missing."
"...gratitude is what we have to give. It is free, and yet it has worth. Saying thank you became more than a nice thing to do. It became essential."
"When time becomes scarce, why is friendship the first thing to be sacrificed? Maybe it explains social media’s skyrocketing rise: We are all craving the friendships we had when we were younger, and we settle for this faux version because it’s all we think we have time for."
"[A] card...is more time-consuming than typing out an email or getting on the phone. It has the weight of your effort. In art, we say, ‘You can see the hand,’ which is the human effort behind something. This bears the mark of the hand.”
"Feeling gratitude is crucial, but expressing it is where the magic happens."
"Gratitude is optimism. It’s choosing to see the contours of what’s there instead of the shadows of what’s missing."
"gratitude is a pathway back—to a friendship, to hobbies you once loved, to identities you’ve shed. It’s a pathway back to yourself."
"Gratitude is strong medicine. It helps us see what’s there instead of pining for what’s missing."
"...gratitude is what we have to give. It is free, and yet it has worth. Saying thank you became more than a nice thing to do. It became essential."
"When time becomes scarce, why is friendship the first thing to be sacrificed? Maybe it explains social media’s skyrocketing rise: We are all craving the friendships we had when we were younger, and we settle for this faux version because it’s all we think we have time for."
"[A] card...is more time-consuming than typing out an email or getting on the phone. It has the weight of your effort. In art, we say, ‘You can see the hand,’ which is the human effort behind something. This bears the mark of the hand.”
"Feeling gratitude is crucial, but expressing it is where the magic happens."
"Gratitude is optimism. It’s choosing to see the contours of what’s there instead of the shadows of what’s missing."
"gratitude is a pathway back—to a friendship, to hobbies you once loved, to identities you’ve shed. It’s a pathway back to yourself."
January 9, 2022
The now-prominent Nedra Tawaab recommended this book in her December newsletter and I started my gratitude year before even finishing the book. Overall, it was a good read. Inspirational, warm, and filled to the brim with valuable insight and information on gratitude and how it affects one's overall wellbeing in the short and long-term. Unsurprisingly, given that the author wrote for magazines for years, it has a bit of that 'basic girl' feel, which is not my style of writing. The author also makes it abundantly clear that she has lived a privileged life. (I believe the word "lavish" came up more than enough times.) Despite those things, it did have a profound impact on my life and apparently the lives of many, many others and for that I am incredibly grateful. While my style and year of writing my cards will be done in my own unique way, I appreciate that knowledge that Ms. Hamadey shared in this book that will undoubtedly be quoted and utilized by me over my lifetime.
July 29, 2021
112 // “We all have these fleeting feelings of happiness and gratitude, and there is a simple way to extend them: We can share them with the people responsible. That was what I was training myself to do. When a grateful thought or compliment entered my mind, I was learning to take note of it, then act on it.”
I WANT TO THANK YOU is a book that chronicles the year that @gina.hamadey wrote 365 thank-you notes—to her neighbors, family members, career mentors, favorite authors, and more. I love a book that documents a project; I like reading about the tips and strategies for how to tackle the same project for myself but also really enjoy the insights and lessons that the author learns and shared along the way. I have always loved mailing letters and thank-you notes, but reading this book inspired me to connect with people through handwritten notes in better and more meaningful ways. Gina is a really fabulous writer—I loved her stories and honestly couldn’t put this book down. in addition to feeling motivated to look at my interactions with others through the lens of gratitude, I also marked so many wise and insightful passages on friendship, parenting, vulnerability, and more. highly recommend this one! 5/5⭐️—I loved it!
I WANT TO THANK YOU is a book that chronicles the year that @gina.hamadey wrote 365 thank-you notes—to her neighbors, family members, career mentors, favorite authors, and more. I love a book that documents a project; I like reading about the tips and strategies for how to tackle the same project for myself but also really enjoy the insights and lessons that the author learns and shared along the way. I have always loved mailing letters and thank-you notes, but reading this book inspired me to connect with people through handwritten notes in better and more meaningful ways. Gina is a really fabulous writer—I loved her stories and honestly couldn’t put this book down. in addition to feeling motivated to look at my interactions with others through the lens of gratitude, I also marked so many wise and insightful passages on friendship, parenting, vulnerability, and more. highly recommend this one! 5/5⭐️—I loved it!
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