This episode of the Shalene Show is going to have a profound effect on you, the way you feel about yourself, and the way you're about to make someone else feel.

Today you're going to learn exactly how to write the perfect letter to someone who needs to know that you love and appreciate them.

Welcome to the Shalene Show. Shalene is a New York Times best-selling author, celebrity fitness trainer, and obsessed with helping you live your dream life.

The inspiration for this episode isn't just the fact that I'm recording it a few days before Valentine's Day.

It's also, frankly, because I just got the most amazing letter. I'm going to share with you part of it.

CJ, I'm writing this card to you because I need you to know how amazing you are and how thankful I am to have you in my life.

The last few weeks have been really hard. Heck, the last year has been really hard. Yet every time I find myself smiling or laughing, it's because of you.

It's hard, in fact, sometimes to notice the struggles when I feel so lucky, so blessed, and so loved, and so cared about because of you.

I rack my brain wondering how I'm supposed to show my appreciation for you, yet nothing seems enough.

I've thought about it, and I figure the best way I can show you my appreciation is simply by implementing all the things that you teach me, so that your efforts are truly noticeable in my life, the way that you pour into me.

In fact, I hope that those things are already noticeable, but still, I want to thank you for changing your morning routine to come to my house to work out with me, and the health and nutrition advice,

and for every joke, and every smile, and every smoothie, and every podcast link, and every recipe, and every grocery list, and every nail appointment, and every food, condiment, and every getaway, and every new experience, and every shout out, and every kind word, and shower of affirmation, everything that you teach me, your time, your support, and your attention, you cannot imagine what a difference you have made in my life.

I will forever love you and be grateful for you.

I love you.

Mikaela, that is from my beautiful friend, Dr. Mikaela.

I can't even tell you how meaningful a letter like that is, not just to receive, but to write a letter like that.

Today, I'm going to help you write a letter that can have just as profound of an effect on someone who you have gratitude and love for.

It might be your significant other, it might be your mom, or your sister, or your son. Maybe you'll write a few letters. I hope you will.

This one exercise can change the way you feel, like if you're not having a good day, if you've been blue or depressed or down lately, this exercise is better than the best medication.

So let's get started.

I guess you could think of this as a love letter or a letter where you're expressing deep gratitude for someone in your life, because letters like this letters of appreciation are the ultimate way for you to express deep gratitude, sincere appreciation, love that you have for someone else.

And this type of a letter is a gift, not just to the person who's receiving it, it's a gift to you.

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