REASON 02 OF 10

They’ll love it more than you think.

We underestimate how happy a thank-you makes people, and overestimate how awkward it feels.

What the researchers did

Amit Kumar and Nicholas Epley at the University of Chicago ran a series of experiments in which people wrote a short letter of thanks to someone who had mattered to them. Before sending it, the writers predicted how the recipient would react. Then the researchers asked the recipients how they actually felt.

What they found

Writers consistently underestimated how surprised and how happy their recipients would be, and overestimated how awkward they would feel. Writers worried about choosing the right words; recipients cared about the warmth behind them.

What it means on G-Day

If you feel a little shy before thanking the guard at the gate or the rider at your door, that is normal, and mostly unfounded. Perfect words are not needed. “Thank you, I really appreciate what you do” is enough, and it will probably mean more to them than you expect.