While appreciation may sound like a simple concept, it has very powerful life applications.
Appreciation is defined in the dictionary many ways, the best definition in my opinion is appreciation being an increase in value.
Think about it…when you appreciate someone, you increase their value. They usually feel better, and it often makes you feel good, too. Appreciation increases the self-esteem of both the giver and the receiver.
Unfortunately, our society is not generally focused on appreciating what we have. Rather, the primary focus in society is on what we lack – all that we don’t have. It is especially prevalent in today’s society with the economic pressures and all the media hype surrounding it.
The reality is that whatever you focus on expands. When you focus on what’s lacking in your life, it prevents the opportunity to appreciate what you do have in your life! Often this causes us to take things for granted, and creates that pattern in our lives.
I really like this simple concept that I heard one time around money, and it applies to appreciation. The statement is, “If I get $1 and I do not appreciate it, why would God give me $2?”
When we don’t appreciate what we have, why would we deserve more of it?
This same concept can be said about success. When we take success for granted, our unconscious mind acts like a little kid – when it doesn’t get acknowledged or appreciated for its efforts, it does not understand why it should continue to make those efforts. Thus, the unconscious mind uses the tools it has to sabotage success – perfectionism, negative head talk, etc. So with success, there must be appreciation, especially if you want to experience continued success.
Now it’s easy to appreciate success, but what about failures? Gratitude & appreciation is important even when things don’t go your way. If you look, you can find the lessons or the blessings in every situation. When you do this, it helps keep anger, fear and irritation at bay. It will also put you in the right frame of mind to seek solutions…something fear & anger do not.
Remember: The more you appreciate the things that you have in your life, the more you’re going to have in your life to appreciate. ~ SS
