December 17 is National Say It Now Day as a day to tell friends and loved ones how important they are to us by expressing gratitude for all the ways they’ve impacted our lives. With the year winding down, it’s the perfect time to show gratitude to those around us for all they have done during the year. 

We all need to make time for gratitude. National Say It Now Day gives us a chance to pause and reflect on what people mean to us. We encourage people everywhere to take a moment to tell their friends and loved ones how much they mean to them while they are still around to hear it. Don’t wait! Say It Now! 

Practicing gratitude is more than saying “thank you.” It’s about showing appreciation for the good things brought into our life. Each time we practice gratitude, we create a sense of happiness and positivity. In fact, the happiness we create not only shifts our own thinking, it also shifts the thinking of those receiving it. 

If everyone practiced daily gratitude, we could change ourselves and the planet for the better. ~LegacyPlus.org

5 Benefits of Gratitude

Research shows that gratitude can enhance our moods, decrease stress and improve our overall health and wellbeing. On average, grateful people tend to have fewer stress-related illnesses. Research also shows people who show and practice gratitude are more physically fit, happier, and have more satisfying personal and professional relationships, too. Showing consistent gratitude improves:

1. Mental Health – Gratitude has been known to help people feel happier. In fact, showing gratitude helps reduce anxiety and depression and even manager stress. 
2. Self-Esteem – Showing gratitude motivates people to care for themselves, both physically and mentally. When someone practices gratitude daily, they become more aware of the positive impact it has. 
3. Relationships – Practicing gratitude strengthens relationships with others. Each time you show gratitude you share positive emotions that encourage others to return the kindness.
4. Positive mindset – People who practice gratitude daily tend to face obstacles in a more optimistic manner, including solving problems and making decisions without over-reacting.
5. Builds Resilience – Each time we practice gratitude, we learn to focus on positive emotions, which results in healing or recovering from hardship quicker and easier. By facing any obstacle life throws at us with gratitude and grace, we program our brain to realize moments of uncertainty are only temporary. 

National Say It Now Day presents the perfect opportunity to express our gratitude to those who have played important roles in our lives.  

HISTORY BEHIND: NATIONAL SAY IT NOW DAY 

This new National Day is an opportunity to tell friends and loved ones how important they are by expressing our gratitude for all the ways they’ve impacted our lives. Legacy+ was inspired to create National Say It Now Day in honor of Walter Green, author of This Is the Moment, whose birthday is on December 17.

According to the story, a close friend asked Walter if he would organize a celebration of life for him after he died. Walter gave it some thought, but something about the idea bothered him. If he was going to stand up and share his appreciation for everything his friend had meant to him, why wouldn’t he do it when he was still around to hear it? So, instead, Walter organized a living tribute.

When Green turned 70, his birthday gift to himself was to travel for an entire year to visit everyone who had been important in his life. The trip became the inspiration for his first book, This is the Moment (2010). It also led Walter to launch the ‘Say It Now’ movement, which is a world-wide celebration of gratitude. 

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CELEBRATING NATIONAL SAY IT NOW DAY

There are so many ways to show gratitude. Think about making a phone call or writing a note to show appreciation for someone who has helped you. You can show appreciation for your family by inviting them over for dinner to let them know you’re grateful for being in your life. You can also start a gratitude journal and begin with a list of things you are thankful for.

Show us how you practice gratitude and encourage others to do the same on social media using the hashtag #NationalSayItNowDay.