“Thank You.” These are two words that I taught Ryan as soon as he was speaking. To me, being polite is an important virtue for parents to teach their children. As Ryan progressed through school, one of the positive comments his teachers always gave me was, “He is so polite. I wish all the students were like him.”

Did you know that January is National Thank You Month? This is the perfect opportunity to find the time to celebrate all that you are grateful for. I am grateful for so much. Good health; supportive family and friends; creative, hardworking co-workers; working for an organization whose goal is to make dreams come true for children and adults with disabilities … to name just a few!

It’s easy to forget to pause and express your gratitude to the people in your life who are there for you day-in and day-out. There are also those who you may seldom see but who have played an important role in your life at some point. This is the perfect month to reach out both! Below is a handful of ways to say thank you:

• Write a handwritten note or letter to someone you are thankful for
• Take a friend out to coffee or lunch and tell them you appreciate their support
• Surprise a loved one with flowers and tell them you value all they do
• Start a gratitude journal, writing at least one thing a day that you are grateful for. Ryan and I daily stop and tell each other something we are grateful for.
• Thank your coworkers for their hard work, acknowledging that often it takes a team to get the job done

And don’t forget to thank people for the simple things: bagging your groceries, cashing you out at the gas station… The list goes on!