NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with prolific letter-writer and fifth-grader Emerson Weber and her father Hugh about the thoughtful letter she wrote to her mail carrier.

A new book shows how writing a thank you letter can boost your confidence and improve your career.

He says that after receiving thank-you notes and filling out questionnaires about how it felt to get them, many said they were “ecstatic,” scoring the happiness rating a 4 out of 5.

Yes, thank-you notes can seem outdated, unnecessary, and even intimidating given that texts and emails exist immediately at your fingertips, but a little thought goes a long way.