Thank You - Personal

Over the next two weeks, I’m going to talk about Thank You notes: personal and professional. This week I’m covering the personal Thank You note. They’re two very simple words – THANK YOU – and yet, they can have such impact. When was the last time you received a Thank You note? When was the last time you wrote one? I don’t mean sending a “thnx” text, but actually sat down with a pen and paper and wrote someone a message. If you can’t remember, it’s been too long!

One of the main reasons for sending a Thank You note is to simply let someone know you have received their gift and appreciate the gesture, especially if the gift was not given in person. I have heard friends and family describe the younger generation as being ungrateful and having an unwarranted sense of entitlement at times. Personally, I think it is society in general, not just the younger generation. Perhaps doing the simple gesture of writing a Thank You note when you receive something would stop such accusations from being perpetuated. The Thank You note is becoming a lost art because people don’t want to take the time to write one. That’s just a lame excuse. Folks, it doesn’t take that long!

On several occasions, I have had to ask someone if they received a gift (specifically a check/cash) I had given them because I hadn’t heard from them or received a Thank You note. It is difficult to ask someone if they've received a gift, so please, please, don’t put a loved one or friend in the awkward position of having to ask and just write a dang note.

Here are some guidelines for writing a personal Thank You note:

• Write a Thank You for gifts of any kind: monetary or material, large or small, and for acts of kindness.
• Write the note within two weeks of receipt or action if possible, however up to one month is acceptable (unless it is for a wedding gift).
• Most manner experts say you have up to six months with wedding gifts Thank You notes, but I disagree and think that’s too long. Depending on the length of your honeymoon and the number of guests that attended, no more than three months should be necessary to complete your notes and send them. 
• When writing multiple Thank You notes, like for a graduation or wedding, it is NOT acceptable to write a “form letter”. A Thank You note should be individualized with a personal message. Even if you're using a picture postcard as the Thank You, you should personalize each card.
• Brevity is accetable.
• Date your note and use a proper greeting such as Dear Dr., Mr., Mrs., or the person's first name, followed by a comma.
• The body is rather easy…thank them for the gift and mention either what it means to you or how you might use it (especially if it’s a gift of cash). Reiterate the Thank You and close the message with Regards, Love, (whatever you’re comfortable with) and sign your name.
• You do not need to thank someone for a Thank You note. However, if someone "thanks you" for an action or grand gesture you made by sending you a gift, a little note of acknowledgement is fine. At the very least, call to let them know you've received their thank you gift.
• Case in point: Over Thanksgiving weekend last year, my husband and I had a luncheon for my parents and many of my aunts and uncles, several of whom were in from out-of-town. Weeks later we received several crates of fresh fruit to thank us for such a lovely day. I was so touched by their thank you, that I sent them a short note to let them know we received the delicious fruit and included several pictures from the day of the luncheon.

If you don't want to take my word for it, maybe check out some additional tips for writing good Thank You notes.

Also check out these sites:

Phrases to Say Thank You

Thank You Notes & Cards

A word to the wise is sufficient.

Why a "Word to the Wise"?

I grew up in a rather strict, but loving home. I have two brothers and one sister and am the youngest by 5, 6 and 7 years. I loved my childhood! We were all very involved in sports and activities and had a lot of fun. It was a very stable upbrining. We didn’t get into too much trouble, mostly because we were afraid of what we called the ‘unknown’, but when we did it was always the same routine…

My mother scolded us immediately and got it out of the way. My father, on the other hand, would wait. It could be days; it could be a week or two. When he was ready and we were unprepared, he would call whoever was in trouble into their room, close the door over, turn the desk chair around backwards and sit down. His legs would be flung over the sides of the chair and his arms would be folded across the top of the chair. He would just sit quietly for a minute gathering his thoughts. I, of course, was usually crying by this time.

My dad rarely ever raised his voice and never swore; he didn’t need to. He would simply ask what you did wrong and this was not the time to pretend you didn’t know what he was talking about. After you told him, he would ask you ‘why’ it was wrong. Again, we would answer him, usually getting it right because we knew the difference between right and wrong. Most people do by the way; don’t be fooled into thinking otherwise. He would say a few words about why what we did was wrong and then simply say “a word to the wise is sufficient” and leave the room.

What that phrase means, at least to my father and to our family, is that we know what we did wrong. We had a choice to make and we made the wrong one. That we will not need to have this conversation again, at least not on this topic, because if we didn’t know better before, we certainly do now. Basically, DON’T do it again OR ELSE. It was always the “or else,” or the fear of the unknown that we were so afraid of, so we would just never do “it” again.

So why use “Word to the Wise” as the name of my blog? Well, I figure most people are pretty smart and “wise” people, just like my dad thought we were. So, if I share an experience or my knowledge in a specific area, you will understand the reason I’m sharing it and the lesson that’s to be learned. Ultimately though, it is your choice what you do with the information. Perhaps sharing some of what I’ve learned about life and work will help some of you (at least some of the ‘traditional’ students) navigate through your future with lights on instead of blinders.

A word to the wise is sufficient. =)

Introduction



Jennifer Durbin

Hello All! My name is Jennifer Durbin. I am a junior at PSU Beaver majoring in communications with the corporate option and technically considered a non-traditional student; meaning I have celebrated the anniversary of my 29^th birthday more times than I care to mention. J Years ago, when I was considered a so-called “traditional” student I attended PSU Behrend and University Park. I loved Penn State then and I love Penn State now!

As for blogging, well, this is my first time. I've never really been a huge fan of blogging, which is odd considering my background is primarily in writing and technology. However, being that I consider myself fairly outgoing and rather opinionated, maybe I’ll learn to like this forum.

I have had a lot of experiences in my life, both personally and professionally, and have never been afraid to share them with people, especially when I felt I could help someone with something I’ve learned. So, my plan is to share some of those experiences as part of my blog. I am one of those people who knows ‘some’ thing about a lot of things, and a 'lot' about a few things. Make sense?

Mostly I hope to share my knowledge of the working world; from working for someone else to setting up my own business incorporation at the age of 25; from working in small business to working with big corporate America; from telecommuting to being laid off. I will also share some practical business information on resume writing, thank you letters, interviewing, etc. as well as some personal experiences. Anyway, that’s my plan, but don’t be surprised if I throw in some unsolicited opinions, anecdotes, or random thoughts along the way too. =)