Word of the Week

Appreciation

Definition: the recognition and enjoyment of the good qualities of someone or something

Consider this...

Did you know that people are 20 times more likely to complain about something than to show their appreciation for something done well. Twenty times! Can you imagine how many people are happy with something you’ve done but don’t bother to tell you compared to the amount of people who will tell you when you’ve done something wrong?

That means that as a society we are showing only 5% of the appreciation that we should be showing to at least equalize appreciation with the likelihood of complaints. That also means that you are probably doing a much better job at, well, life, than you’re being given credit for.

But just because others aren’t showing their appreciation doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t show yours.

Try showing some appreciation for everyone who pleases you. If the person checking you out at the grocery or store does a decent job, say, “Thank you for checking me out today,” (or something that doesn’t sound a little dirty, though the person may appreciate the pun). If, while driving, someone lets you go ahead of them in traffic, give an exuberant “thank you” wave to let them know that you appreciate what they’ve done. Spread the appreciation around.

And don’t forget to show appreciation to those who really matter in your life: significant others, children, friends, family, co-workers or anyone else. Let them know how much you appreciate their friendship or advice or time or love or effort or whatever it is. Just tell them, “I appreciate x,” or “I appreciate you.”

Everyone loves to feel appreciated. And who knows? Maybe as you begin to show some appreciation, others will show it back, and that’s going to feel great - almost as great as knowing that you’ve made someone feel good by appreciating them.