part0020

“Appreciation can make a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary.”
~ Margaret Cousins

Expressing these 3 A’s often —with sincerity —is one of the best things you can do to encourage and support the people in your life. They build the bonds of heart and closeness.

For something someone said or did that you were impressed by or grateful for, simply say:

Say what it is you applaud, admire or appreciate the person for. It means you not only applaud, admire or appreciate them in general but for the specific thing they did.

You might think the person already knows that you applaud, admire or appreciate them, but how are they to know for sure unless you actually tell them? Remove all doubt and let them know.

In my classes, one of my favorite exercises is when I ask participants to face each other as couples or in pairs and ask them to say one thing they appreciate about each other and why. After a few minutes, I call an end to the exercise and ask, “What was it like to be appreciated like that?” and they say it felt great to hear it. “What was it like to express the appreciation?” and they say it felt great to say it.

Then I ask a follow-up question: “How many of you were appreciated by your partner for something you didn’t even know they noticed, let alone appreciated you for?” Almost always several hands go up, and their partner—especially if they are a couple—looks at them a bit stunned as if to say, “I thought it was obvious I appreciated you for that.” I ask the person who raised their hand why they raised their hand, and they typically reply, “I suspected that he (or she) appreciated me for that, but I wasn’t sure. But when I actually heard the words, I knew they did.” It’s a great lesson for everyone the power and impact of expressed appreciation.

Also, when we get into the habit of verbally expressing applause, admiration, and appreciation to others for things they have said or done for us, it helps us grow into a person of gratitude in the process.

We can also do this in written form in a letter, email, text or otherwise. The main thing is that we express it.

Who are the people in my life I can Applaud, Admire, or Appreciate? (Make a list of the names and reasons why)

Bring a smile to someone’s face today—let them know what you applaud, admire or appreciate about them, and be specific. They’ll appreciate hearing it!