Show Your Appreciation
Even when human beings crave appreciation as much as they do food, we do not indulge in gratitude and praise even in the slightest. Tell your loved ones that you appreciate them.
On my way back from a 2-day vacation, I gathered my family to say some words of appreciation about each other as a way of starting the new year strong. After learning about the power of gratitude from “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie, I wanted to test it out and see its effects firsthand. We went in a circle and told each other what we appreciated about them. Immediately, I felt that our bond between us grew even firmer. We described our genuine likes about each other instead of only focusing on what we can change about the other person.
It was surprisingly relieving to let my sister know how much I admired her for never giving up on her hobby of dancing despite wanting to quit many times in the past. There were days where she was so physically exhausting that she couldn’t sleep, and I just observed without encouraging her. I realized that I never got the chance to tell her how much I admired her for it until that very moment, which made me sad. Maybe if I told her how I felt more often, she would not have felt like quitting. Even when human beings crave appreciation as much as they do food, we do not indulge in gratitude and praise even in the slightest.
Once you get home, make sure you tell your spouse that you are grateful for them. Call your mom and tell her that you love how hard she worked for you to be here. Next time you hang with your friends, tell them you are thankful for their support during the tough times at the start of the pandemic and that you are here to support them too. Make sure to begin this year like no other by appreciating your loved ones.
“The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated.”