Appreciation. We all want it. We all need it. Feels nice to get it. It’s an acknowledgement of what we do and who we are.

When we don’t feel appreciated, it can sap our motivation, our ability to perform, to do our best, to serve others.

The paradox of appreciation is that in order to get it, you have to give it.

If you want to feel more appreciated by others — your spouse, your clients, your kids, your colleagues, your employees, your boss, your agent — you have to first truly appreciate their efforts. It’s not enough just to pay them a compliment, you have to feel appreciation wholly and completely with your being. You have to acknowledge it specifically and genuinely. (Even if you send an invisible thank you note!)

Once you’ve done this, it’s possible to feel the appreciation come back to you, especially when you need it. Isn’t it always worth going the extra mile for someone when you feel they’ve truly appreciated the fact that you did?

Eckhart Tolle wrote: “Acknowledging the good that is already in your life is the foundation for all abundance.”

Same goes for appreciation. In order to receive it, you’ve got to give it.

Thank you for reading. Spread the love.