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The Awards Season has wound down for this year. The “Thank You and Appreciate You” speeches are now the fodder of critics and comedians.
It’s easy to become jaded about showing thanks and appreciation since it is often tossed off easily or contracted: “thx”, “TY” and other short takes. But the act of a true expression of appreciation and thanks can be life changing – and good for us.
In fact, expressing thanks may be one of the simplest ways to feel better. According to an article in Harvard Health Publications, “...two psychologists, Dr. Robert A. Emmons from UC Davis, and Dr. Michael E. McCullough of the University of Miami, have done much of the research on gratitude. In one study, they asked all participants to write a few sentences each week, focusing on particular topics”.
“One group wrote about things they were grateful for during the week. A second group wrote about irritations or things that had displeased them. After 10 weeks, those who wrote about gratitude were more optimistic and felt better about their lives. Surprisingly, they also exercised more and had fewer visits to physicians than those who focused on sources of aggravation...”
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An enhanced way to show appreciation, thanks and gratitude is to give a gift of something that can be enjoyed "tactily" beyond words. This is usually something tasty – like wine -- or chocolate!
I believe in looking for value for price wines to enjoy and to give
($7-$15). Discovery these wines is an adventure and they can be found in small wine shops, international variety stores such as World Market, Costco and depending on the neighborhood, even drug stores. You do have to know what to look for (there’s an upcoming blog on this subject) to snare the values.
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Chocolate isn’t usually thought of as being a bargain or value priced – especially imported, European chocolate. There is one exception that I’ve tasted from Merci Chocolates and it’s found in a variety of stores, including CVS. What? Made in Germany by Storck (founded in 1903), these chocolates are in individually wrapped bars, with a variety of decadent flavors, in several-sized boxes. I tried the 8.8 oz box (about $13).
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The flavors within one box range from basic, silky Milk Chocolate to nut and chocolate, to Dark Chocolate to my favorite a Coffee and Cream that tastes like a creamy jolt of your favorite, pricy Joe.
Think of someone who has featured prominently in your day or your life and thank them. It’s a win-win. If you choose to add the tactile benefit of wine and/or chocolate with your gratitude, get two, and have your own thank-you moments.
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