REASON 09 OF 10

Gratitude turns familiar faces into real connections.

Say what you noticed: a nod becomes a hello, and a hello becomes a friend.

What the researchers did

Lisa Williams and Monica Bartlett asked 70 university students to give advice to a younger student on an admissions essay. Every adviser then received a handwritten reply from the student; for about half, the reply included a thank-you for their help.

What they found

Advisers who were thanked saw the student as warmer, and they were more likely to leave their contact details so that the two could stay in touch. The researchers describe gratitude as a signal that helps us find new relationships, and then keep them.

What it means on G-Day

We see the same people almost every day, often without knowing their names. A sincere thank-you is an easy way to open the door: next time, the nod becomes a hello, and sometimes much more.