Everyone has at least one person that has contributed to their success more than the rest. This could be success in relationships, getting your dream job, graduating high school, or just becoming a better person. There is one person that you look up to and that helped to get you to that goal of yours. There is one person that sticks out among the rest of those who helped along the way. It could be a professor, a coach, a trainer, a supervisor, and even just a friend. Think about that one person who helped you arrive at where you are today.

While it may be obvious to you, it is important to let that mentor of yours know just how much they have impacted your life. There are a ton of ways to do this ranging from putting together a care package for them to inviting them to your next celebration of accomplishments. Check out the list I have compiled of the best ways to show your mentor you appreciate them. 

Write A Handwritten Thank You Note

Before we get to the more extensive ways to say thank you, we have to start with the basics. Writing a handwritten note to your mentor can mean more than any material gift. Get a meaningful card or even just a piece of notebook paper, grab your pen or pencil, and get to writing. Just pour out how you feel on the paper. What have they helped you accomplish? What good qualities did they instill in you? What important skills did they teach you? Make sure to include everything that your mentor has done for you and how much you appreciate it. Reading this outright will mean a lot to your mentor. They may not know just how much they meant to you. A letter or card is a great option because it eliminates the inevitable awkwardness of showing affection face to face. 

Send Them A Thank You Care Package

Another amazing way to show your mentor that they mean a lot to you is by giving them a gift. Or in this case, a collection of gifts. Throw together a package of all of your mentor’s favorite things. Tack on a personalized note and you good to go. If you don’t know what to get them, you can never go wrong with snacks or coffee. Remember you want to get them something they are going to enjoy, or something that will make their life easier. If you don’t want to go through the hassle, try a premade thank you care package. These packages are perfect packages, beautifully gift wrapped, and delivered straight to your mentor’s door. You can even add a personalized thank you note. Check out this coffee break gift basket or favorite treats basket. These are great universal options for any mentor.

Don’t Forget About Them

When thinking about how to show your mentor they are appreciated, you probably start to ponder what gifts to give and what to say. Showing that you care does not always have to mean saying or doing something specific. Your mentor has done a lot for you in hopes that you will take that knowledge and go far with it. Since many mentors are in your life when you are young and inexperienced, they often get left behind once people reach success. So probably the most important thing to do is to stay in contact with a person that means so much to you. Life gets crazy, but you should never be too busy to make a quick call or send an email just checking in. Simple things like these are subtle reminders that they are important to you. 

Send Them A Piece of Your Success

In keeping with the theme of sharing your success and celebrations, send them a piece of your success every once in a while. For most mentors, this is better than any gift you could give them. Send them photos from your next exhibit, an article you wrote for a major publication, or the plan for your next business idea. Don’t think anything needs to be limited to work accomplishments. You can send out photos of your child or a postcard from a city you traveled to. Your mentors just want to see you succeed and it makes them feel good that you are thinking about them enough to send them a little something. 

Include Them In The Celebration Of Your Success

When you accomplish something monumental, do you ever find yourself wanting to tell an old mentor that you have not spoken to in a while. It is normal. You want to share your success because you want them to be proud of you. While that may sound selfish, that is exactly the kind of thing many mentors want to hear about. They guided you and taught you so they feel a great sense of pride when you go on to do something great. They know that they were at least a small part of that. So, whenever you get a promotion or an award let your mentor know. If you throw a party make sure to invite them. If you finish a film or art exhibit, invite them to come check it out. It makes them just as happy to see you succeed. 

Promote Your Mentor

Chances are that your mentor has helped to promote every project you have worked on, even when they had nothing to do with it. That is because they support you and want to see you succeed. Keep in mind that your mentor has projects and passions too. Return the favor and when they have something important happening, like publishing of their book or launch of a new business. You may not have had the authority to do so when you were up and coming, but now you do. So use all the tools you have at your disposable to let everyone know why they should try it out. When your mentor sees you doing this, they will know that you care about them the same way they do about you. Remember that you may have some connections now that your mentor does not. They most likely put you in contact with everyone they could back in the day. So if you know someone that could help them out or make a good collaboration, out them in contact. 

Surprise Them

This option can be applied or combined with any other option on the list. Everyone loves surprises, especially from someone they were close to. Stopping by your old professor’s classroom on a random trip home could make their day. It shows them that you were thinking of them enough that you would go out of your way to visit them. If you’re not in the area, surprise them with a phone call or card. It is the best way to say thanks.

Just Tell Them

If all else fails, a face to face encounter with your mentor is the way to go. Meet up with them for coffee or just show up where they work (assuming this is your old stomping ground). Once you are in the presence of your mentor, just lay it on them. Recall stories or experiences that they helped you through. Detail things they did for you that meant a lot to you. Talk about what an important role they played in all of your success. In general, just let them know how important they are to you. You may think your mentor knows all of this, but most of the time they don’t. And even if they do, it is nice to hear every once in a while. These conversations can even encourage your mentor to keep up their act with other students or young people in their life.