The Letter That Will Change Two Lives (Including Yours)

Why the scariest letters are often the most important ones (and how you can finally write yours)

This Week's Courage Snapshot:

• "Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone" - G.B. Stern

• Why that thank-you note you're avoiding might change two lives

• Scare Your Soul Challenge: The Champion's Letter (warning: may cause unexpected emotions and/or happy tears)

• Bottom line: Easy is overrated. The best things in life usually require a deep breath and a brave heart

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Dear Courageous Souls (and Hesitant Letter Writers),

Ever notice how the words "thank you" are simultaneously the easiest and hardest to write?

We toss them around like confetti after someone holds a door, but when it comes to the deep stuff – the life-changing stuff – suddenly we're all tongue-tied poets with writer's block.

Last week, while procrastinating organizing my office (because apparently watching paint dry wasn't exciting enough), I found myself staring at a photo that punched me right in the feelings.

There was Sarah, my creative writing teacher, silver-streaked hair in her signature messy braid, probably with a stack of manuscripts under her arm and hope in her heart that at least one student had finally mastered the difference between "their" and "they're."

But here's the thing about Sarah – she was the first person who ever told me my stories mattered. And I don't mean in that vague "everyone gets a participation trophy" way.

She meant it.

"Keep going," she'd say, circling a paragraph I'd labored over for hours.

"You have something here."

"You have something here." Those four words.

That's all it took.

Thirty-five years later, with a published book and a courage movement that's touched thousands of lives, I still hear her voice.

Last month, after years of meaning to (aka procrastinating because vulnerability is scary), I finally wrote Sarah a letter.

I told her everything.

How those Thursday afternoons shaped my life. How her belief in me became my belief in myself. How one teacher's dedication created ripples that would eventually become waves.

Her response arrived last week. (Side note: Waiting for a letter to arrive in 2024 is an exercise in patience that could qualify as meditation.)

"I needed this letter more than you know," she wrote. "Teaching can be lonely, and sometimes we wonder if we ever made a difference."

This Week's Scare Your Soul Challenge: “The Champion's Letter”

Here's your mission (should you choose to accept it):

1. Identify your "Sarah" (No, not the neighbor who judges your gardening skills)

2. Write that scary-vulnerable thank you letter (Yes, actual words on actual paper)

3. Send it before your inner critic can talk you out of it

4. Prepare for possible emotional responses (Keep tissues handy)

5. Remember that awkward vulnerability is better than perpetual regret

Need a jumpstart? Here's a template (but please, make it your own):

Dear [Name],

I've been thinking about the impact you've had on my life, and it's time I told you something important: Thank you.

When you [specific memory/action], it helped me [specific result]. You might not have known it then, but your [quality] helped shape who I am today...

[Add your story, your truth, your gratitude]

Will your hands shake while writing? Probably. Will you question every word choice? Definitely.

Will you consider "accidentally" losing the letter in the mail? Perhaps.

But will it change two lives? Absolutely.

Remember, this isn't about crafting the perfect message. It's about expressing genuine appreciation that's been waiting – perhaps for years – to be shared.

With gratitude, courage, and slightly smudged ink,

P.S. This week's newsletter focused on gratitude for our personal champions. Did this resonate with you? Want more challenges like this? Your feedback shapes future newsletters, so drop a comment and let me know your thoughts!

P.P.S. Our global workplace courage survey is still ongoing. It takes just 3 minutes, and we'd love your input on what makes a brave workplace. Feel free to fill it out... after you've thanked your champion, of course!