Being grateful is like exercising, eating healthy food and drinking water. All of these things improve your health. Appreciation is the same way.
There's nothing magical about appreciation. In fact, it's probably the easiest thing you can do to improve your life. All it requires is a simple shift in thinking. But it can change your life forever.
In my experience, the most effective way to shift the way you think is by learning to express gratitude. The key is not only to notice what you have, but also to notice the people in your life that are helping you. If they're not around anymore, it's okay. That doesn't mean they weren't important. Just take note of the people who are still there.
Appreciating someone doesn't mean being fake. It's about appreciating someone's unique value. It's the kind of appreciation that comes from the heart and is genuine. It's the kind of appreciation that lets you feel better about yourself. It's the kind of appreciation that helps you overcome any adversity.
So let's say you have a hard day. Instead of dwelling on what's gone wrong, why not appreciate all the good that happened to you today? What was the last thing that made you smile? How does that make you feel?
Appreciate everything. Every single little thing. Even the moments you didn't intend to appreciate, be grateful for them as well. For example, when you were on a bad date, you were probably thinking something like "I wish he would just end this." The truth is, you didn't deserve this date and you probably didn't even want it. However, you can still appreciate that he gave you an opportunity to connect with him, even though it didn't go anywhere. It shows that he's not completely oblivious to your feelings. And it shows that he respects your feelings enough to give you a chance. Appreciate the people in your life who treat you like that.
It's easy to feel alone, but there are millions of people just like you. When you appreciate them and let them know how much they matter, you create a powerful bond. It changes your relationship from one based on scarcity to one based on abundance. You don't need to impress anyone. You don't need to pretend to be a certain type of person. All you need to do is be yourself.
By appreciating the people in your life and focusing on what's important to you, you'll be transforming your life into something better. If you want a successful life, you have to start thinking that way.
Give Thanks every day