I love the way Yasmin Nguyen thinks about writing thank you cards. Yasmin is the founder of The Joyful Living Project, and I had the opportunity to sit down and talk to him about gratitude. First of all, he calls thank you cards “appreciation cards,” which I love! He likes to create a deeper connection through his cards, allowing himself to be vulnerable.

Yasmin starts his cards by writing something like: “Dear Scott. I remember the time when …”

The purpose of starting the cards like this is to reconnect to a memorable moment. It should call to mind something special in the recipient.

He continues by saying something like, “What I appreciate most about you is …” So it’s not necessarily something the person did; it’s about a quality they possess, something about them that Yasmin appreciates.

The final part of the card is where Yasmin thinks to himself, If today were my last day, what would I want this person to know? This allows him to go really deep in terms of what he wants to share with the recipient.

This process creates an element of vulnerability. It’s an approach designed to help you put yourself in a happy place and fuel your writing. Writing and sending heartfelt cards like this has opened so many doors for Yasmin. He’s witnessed new connections and growth in his business.

Think about it: How often do you receive a card from someone simply to reconnect with you and tell you of an attribute they cherish in you? What would you be willing to do for that?