Practice Uncommon Appreciation

Jack Canfield, author of the billion dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul and world renowned Success Coach, once wrote about appreciation by putting it this way:
“If asked, could you name the five wealthiest people in the world, or five people who have won the Nobel Prize, or the last five Academy Award winners for best actor and actress? The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. When the applause dies, the awards tarnish, and achievements are forgotten; no one cares about who won which award.

But if I asked you to list five teachers or mentors who believed in you and encouraged you, five friends who have helped you through a difficult time, five people who have taught you something worthwhile, or five people who have made you feel appreciated and special - that’s much easier to do, isn’t it?

That’s because the people who make a difference in your life aren’t the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They’re the ones who care. If you want to be remembered for being important to someone else’s life, make them feel appreciated.”

It makes sense to show gratitude for the people around you and for the blessings they represent. Haven’t you always told our children to be appreciative and to say thank you in response to kindness?

As the year comes to a close, it’s a good time to take an inventory of the many friends, family, co-workers and acquaintances you have that left a mark on your life and then let them know it. It’s like paying it forward through kind comments, small favors, and gentle token gifts. Just recently in the news at a drive-in fast food restaurant, one car made the gesture to pay for the coffee of the car behind it. Subsequently, each car in turn, paid for each other’s java. Little things like that you don’t forget, yet it makes the day special. The year 2008 can be filled with special moments of appreciation if you do your part, be good examples for your families and for others closest to you. Happy New Year!