Who or what will you praise today?

Your answer can determine your day!

Every person I have ever met wants to be appreciated. It is part of the human psyche that we want to feel others value us and that they are appreciative of whatever part we might be playing in their lives.   I am sure you agree with this statement. What do you do about it on a daily basis?

When is the last time you genuinely thanked the clerk who checked out your groceries? When was the last time you let the bank teller know you appreciate his or her accuracy with your deposit or withdrawal?

I take it as a personal challenge when I see an unhappy or moody store clerk. It becomes my mission to brighten their day and have them smiling, if not laughing, by the end of my transaction with them. Even a few moments of lightness can help us see life in a better perspective. We can’t go around trying to solve or take-on everyone else’s difficulties, but we can act with kindness toward one another.

All of us want to be seen and responded to as the real people we are. Our society is in such a hurry and so self-centered that we have started to use one another as machines. It takes very little effort to engage someone in small talk, ask how their day is going, commiserate with their pain and help them celebrate their joys.

Take a few minutes and make a list of people you could acknowledge in your life: family, friends, bosses, employees, political figures (mayor, governor, city and county officials, – you may not agree with all their decisions, but you can at least give them credit for their efforts), teachers, counselors, public figures you have learned from, etc. Simply let the person know that you appreciate them and the part they play in your life. Thank them for whatever it is they do for you or the world-at-large. Don’t expect anything in return. Give unconditional gratitude.

We have become such a self-centered society that most of us forget to think about other people and their needs. Here’s another experiment to try. Instead of talking about yourself all the time, show an interest in other people’s lives. Ask them how their day is going and care about the answer.

Instead of focusing on your problems and personal dramas all the time, try thinking about other people’s lives and predicaments. Is there any sort of support, praise, encouragement you could offer – without strings or meddling – that they would welcome? I’m not talking about interfering in other people’s lives or trying to control them. I’m talking about a genuine concern for the well-being of someone other than yourself. Expressing interest, acknowledgement, concern, and gratitude to others is a heart-enlarger. When we make such outward moves, our energy expands, and we are able to encompass more good in our own lives.

Because of our interconnectedness, we are affecting one another constantly. Every thought we think, every action we take or possibility we ponder, touches everything else on the planet. That’s a pretty awesome statement, I know. It’s also true. Makes you think a bit more about what you really want to send out, doesn’t it?

When you walk or drive down the street, do you feel grateful for the trees, birds, and sky? Or do you curse the potholes, overturned trash cans, and thoughtless litter? It is a truism that we get more of what we focus on. When we choose to put our emphasis on what around us is right rather than on what is wrong, we will continue to get more of the goodness of life. This is true of people, places, and circumstances.

Another fabulous way to acknowledge people is through silence. Refuse to repeat rumors. Say “no” to gossip. Keep your mouth shut when the only thing you can say about someone is negative. Choose to believe the best about people no matter what others might say about them. Remember, there is almost always someone who is willing to say something nasty about you – and you’re a decent person, aren’t you? Assume the same is true of the people about whom others are gossiping and talk about something else.

If there are people who are causing you grief, instead of spending your time thinking and talking about how rotten they are and what you’d like to do to them, look for and praise their good points. It won’t take long before they either change their behavior (without you having to do anything) or leave your life. Not a bad return for a simple attitude adjustment.

Given today’s world situation, this is a perfect time to begin your personal campaign of telling people how wonderful they are, of finding the positive in your life and blessing it, of sending out thoughts of peace rather than of discontent.

Make today the day you start giving sincere thanks, acknowledgement and praise whenever you can. The result will be a happier, more peaceful world and you’ll have yourself to thank and acknowledge for the part you played.

Awhile back, some of my readers asked me to put some of my Inspirational articles into book form. I did! You can find it as a paperback or on Kindle here.

Thanks for reading - I appreciate YOU!

Living with grace and ease,

Krysta