Practice Uncommon Appreciation
by Amy Sherman, LMHCJack 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 we always told our children to be appreciative and to say thank you in response to kindness?
It's always 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, the evening news reported that one car, in a drive-through fast food restaurant, 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. This year can be filled with special moments of appreciation if we do our part and be good examples for our families and others closest to us. William Arthur Ward says, “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it away.”
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Amy Sherman, LMHC, is a licensed mental health counselor in private practice. She is the author of "Distress-Free Aging: A Boomer's Guide to Creating a Fulfilled and Purposeful Life." Visit http://www.bummedoutboomer.com and receive a Special Report on Overcoming Adversity when you sign up for the free eNewsletter. Amy can be reached at amy@bummedoutboomer.com or 561-281-2975.