Earlier this week I sent a friend a thank-you note for a concert she treated me to in December. I’m sure that broke an etiquette rule regarding how long after an event one should send a thank-you note, so to make up for it I included a photo of us at the show and said “better late than never!”
My thank-you notes aren’t always that tardy, but when it comes to practicing gratitude, I don’t think there is a deadline.

Gratitude is more than just saying “thank you.” UCLA Health describes it as “regularly focusing on the positive parts of your life.” It’s best practiced by being specific about what you’re thankful for, redirecting negative thoughts by shifting focus to the positive and writing down what you’re thankful — both for yourself in a journal, for example, or in a note you send to someone you appreciate, like I did this week.
Gratitude can have a major positive impact on your life, including your health. According to UCLA Health, “research shows that practicing gratitude — 15 minutes a day, five days a week — for at least six week can enhance mental wellness and possibly promote a lasting change in perspective. Gratitude and its mental health benefits can also positively affect your physical health… A 2021 review of research (found) that keeping a gratitude journal can cause a significant drop in diastolic blood pressure — the force your heart exerts between beats. Having grateful thoughts, even if you don’t write them down, also helps your heart by slowing and regulating your breathing to synchronize with your heartbeat.” UCLA Health also notes possible improvements in anxiety, depression, sleep and reduced stress thanks to gratitude.
Gratitude is clearly important to you as an individual, and it’s also important to your business and its brand. A forbes.com article on the topic cites a study by the American Psychological Association that found that 93% of employees who reported feeling valued said that they are motivated to do their best at work and 88% reported feeling engaged.
Practicing gratitude at work is relatively easy and doesn’t have to come with a big investment of time or money. From a simple “thank you,” to an employee recognition program, to a free lunch, showing appreciation goes a long way to strengthen an organization and its brand.
Leadership at View Newspaper Group works hard to create a culture of gratitude. A quick look through emails or a few minutes spent in any of our offices and you’ll see and hear the words “thank you,” “I appreciate you,” “you’re the best” over and over again. Just last week we hosted a dinner to recognize and thank sales team members who achieved 100% or more of their goal last year. We know our culture of gratitude leads to a culture of teamwork, which has helped us grow from one paper to 21 since our start in 2003.
We’re also fortunate at View Newspaper Group to be able to share stories of gratitude with our readers. Sometimes that comes in the form of “thank you” letters to the editor and sometimes it’s through sharing stories from our clients. Just last week we shared a powerful story of gratitude from a patient at McLaren Lapeer Region.
As their own form of gratitude, McLaren Lapeer Region leadership quarterly presents the Tulip and Daisy awards. The Daisy Award, which goes to nurses, is an internationally recognized award in over 3,600 healthcare facilities in the United States plus 21 other countries. The Tulip Award, which stands for “Touching Unique Lives in Practice,” is specific to McLaren Lapeer Region and is given to techs, aides and other support staff.
While it’s always nice to hear what patients share with McLaren leadership in their nominations, last week we shared a story from a 21-year-old who arrived at this hospital with a mental health crisis that was truly touching. A small portion of the nomination reads, “I felt scared, alone, and overwhelmed. Nurses checked on me regularly, but one nurse stood out — Joe Buckler … Joe didn’t just check in with me; he made an effort to truly see me … He made me feel safe when I didn’t think safety was possible.”
I’m thankful this patient shared her story, I’m thankful McLaren Lapeer Region shared it with us and our readers, and while I don’t know him, I’m thankful to Buckler, a behavioral health (BH) technician. The fact that this patient took the time to write these words after a crisis is inspiring; she clearly understands the power of gratitude.
I’d love to know how practicing gratitude has helped you personally or professionally. Email me at ecaswell@mihomepaper.com.
Emily Caswell is the Brand Manager for VIEW Group, the branding division of View Newspaper Group.