Have you ever felt uneasy at appreciating someone who helped you?
Did you say anything else than merely a ‘Thank you?
Do you often wonder how you could have expressed your gratitude to a certain person but you couldn’t?
So, how to show appreciation and value to people?
Appreciation is a seldom undervalued trait. People are often quick to judge or show their anger and resentment. But, when it comes to being grateful you just nudge the feeling off your shoulders. However, in today’s fast-paced world where every person is busy in their lives, if even a single person helps you or brings a smile to your face then you should take a moment to show your appreciation to them. But, the question is how to show your appreciation. Well to your surprise, it’s always the little things that matter the most. You don’t have to go all out of your way every single time to express gratitude. Instead even a small thank you note or a heartfelt hug can do the trick.
Below is a list of 8 unique ways which you can use to lighten up someone’s day and show appreciation. But, let us get into the basics first by explaining why being grateful is so important.
Why is appreciation so important?
Appreciation is an important factor when it comes to satisfaction in life. Whether it’s the appreciation you get at home or at work. It makes a person feel valued and worthwhile. The effects of appreciation are exponential not only in psychological terms but also for the physical health and wellness of a person.
When we talk about appreciation at work it plays a monumental role in the betterment and prosperity of an organization. According to Steven Gaffney, an expert on honest, interpersonal communication,
‘Appreciation is so powerful that it affects the bottom line.’
Steven Gaffney
This in essence is true and quite essential when we talk about employee retention. One of the key factors in job satisfaction is the feeling of being appreciated and valued. Although managers mostly think that a raise in salary would be enough to make employees feel valued. However, as one shoe doesn’t fit all similarly every employee doesn’t just feel valued by monetary compensation.
Expressing appreciation and giving sincere feedback to employees matters too. Research suggests that Appreciation plays a crucial role in workplace well-being and success. People who feel valued are most likely to stay in their jobs. As appreciation boosts your morale, you are more likely to work with all your heart and might towards the progress of your organization. These workers not only work sincerely and wholeheartedly but they also consider the organization as something they own too. The feeling of respect and reverence towards the company they work for is unmatchable.
How appreciation improves relationships?
When it comes to appreciation in relationships, it is even more essential but practiced less often. Appreciating a person for whatever little they do for you increases their satisfaction in the relationship. Appreciation most often guarantees a long-lasting and happy relationship. When you appreciate your partner, you are actually contributing to their health and wellness. It improves their sleep cycle and reduces stress. Moreover, expressing appreciation to the people that play a significant role in your life improves their metabolic system.
All in all, if you care about the people that matter in your life you should appreciate them more often for whatever little they do to make it better. Because appreciation not only improves the physical health of a person but also adds to their psychological well-being. This indirectly improves the quality of a relationship, by making it content and long-lasting.
8 unique ways to express your gratitude
1- Show genuine interest
The most precious gift you can give to someone is the gift of showing genuine interest in them. But, what does having genuine interest mean? It means that you sincerely care for the other person without faking or pretending anything. It might sound like too simple of a thing to do but trust me on this it is easier said than done.
Mostly, people interact because of some purpose. You might meet your friend because you want their help with the physics assignment. You might meet an old colleague because you heard about their apartment which they are trying to sell. A neighbor next door might come to see you to get the recipe for your famous chocolate mousse cake. In short, we meet people due to some underlying intentions. Most of the time, getting the work done is more important than caring for the person you interact with. On top of that, once the work is done you don’t care less to say something other than a mere thank you!
In short, people who take the time out of their busy schedule to help you or just to spend it with you, shouldn’t be taken for granted. You should also be courteous enough to reciprocate the same care and interest that they display towards you. Show genuine interest by expressing your appreciation in words. Ask about their health or how their day went at work. Keep your smartphone aside while talking to them and don’t keep checking it constantly. Notice the change in their appearance if there is any. Compliment them on their new haircut or a new outfit they wore. Value people for who they are and people will appreciate you in return too.
2- Be grateful for the time spent together
There’s no denying the fact that we live in a busy world today. Everyone has a lifestyle to maintain and a livelihood to make which is not an easy job at all. Some of us overwork ourselves working on 2 or even 3 side hustles just to make some reasonable grocery money. Amid all the hustle and bustle we forget to spend time with one another. But even through all this if someone comes to see you just to know how you are doing, then you should be grateful to them.
So, instead of frowning over why someone came to visit you uninvited, be grateful that they took their time out just to check on you. Someone considered you precious enough to come around and see if you are doing well. Although uninvited guests are mostly not met with a warm welcome, you shouldn’t hold any resentment against them in your heart. Maybe they wanted to surprise you. Or, they just didn’t want to bother you by making any special arrangements for them.
In a nutshell, in today’s world people seldom spend time with each other so if someone does, be grateful to them. As time is an extremely valuable resource, it is really important to thank a person if they do spend their time in your company. An example of appreciation can be,
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule.
or,
I really feel blessed to have you around in my life.
I am grateful for all the help and support you have been giving me through all these years.
Remember that every human has an innate desire to feel appreciated and valued. Make the most of the opportunity by showing your appreciation for the people in your life.
3- Be optimistic around people to show appreciation
Life will not always be great. One day it will bestow you with its bounties while on other days it will make you fail miserably at everything no matter how hard you try. Everything won’t make sense always and life would feel unfair to you. However, optimism can help you see silver linings in any situation.
Not only is optimism beneficial for your own mental health and well-being enabling you to age successfully despite all odds, according to research by Jordan P Lewis, an associate professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage. But, also an optimistic behavior around others helps you to foster long-lasting relationships, according to research published by Research gate.
You may ask how is optimism related to appreciation. Well, optimism changes your perspective of life by shifting your focus from your setbacks to your blessings. You tend to cherish every little blessing that life bestows you with. The shift from negative to positive reflects in your day-to-day dealings and relationships as well. You focus on the positives in people as well. This creates a positive aura for you. This positivity and optimism ultimately translate into your relationships.
Hence, being optimistic around people helps you focus on their positive aspects. You tend to be genuine in your dealings. In the end, an optimistic approach toward life encourages people around you to see opportunities in every failure. They feel appreciated and blessed indirectly.
Related; 7 Ways to Stay Positive in Tough Times
4- Celebrate every success
Celebrating each other’s success and accomplishments no matter how small they are, is often a kind gesture of appreciating someone. Acknowledging one another is a good way of appreciation. It not only boosts your morale but also fosters a stronger bond between people at home or at work.
Also, while celebrating each other’s success keep in mind that smaller things also require appreciation. You shouldn’t wait for your partner to get a promotion at work. Or, get a new job at a multinational company with a better position. Rather, you should celebrate the accomplishment of not-so-significant goals with the same zeal and zest.
If you are planning to celebrate your team’s success at work try writing a nice formal email to your colleague. Highlight all the efforts which they put in. You can also say thank you formally along with being specific about the contribution they made to a project. You can also consider having a tea party together at work. For bigger achievements, however, throwing a celebration party may sound appropriate.
To appreciate someone at home you might have to be more gracious and open in your words and actions. Buy your partner a beautiful gift. May be something they had been planning to buy for months. Go on a dinner date together. Even shutting off from the outside world by switching your mobiles off and watching a movie together might sound like a good idea.
All in all, however, you may decide to celebrate each other’s success and try doing it with all your heart and might. No gesture is worth the effort if it’s done half-heartedly. Cherish every success of the people around you like you would like them to celebrate yours. In the end, what goes around comes around. So, celebrate each other’s success to show appreciation.
5- Cherish the time spent together to show appreciation
In a world full of distractions we are often present physically but mentally elsewhere. The time you spend with people that matters is often passed while scrolling through social media or doing any other stuff. Today everyone is busy in their own lives. We seldom find time to sit and even have dinner together let alone enjoy sitting in each other’s company at lunch or tea. This often leaves people feeling that they don’t matter. The feeling of being taken for granted leaves them sad and depressed. People don’t feel appreciated for their presence in your lives rather they tend to see themselves as a liability.
However, this feeling of sadness and worthlessness can be turned into joy and blessing by being truly present in the moment. Take a pause from technology and keep your smartphones aside. The feeling of giving someone complete attention alone makes them feel appreciated.
Start from your family because they are often the most taken-for-granted individuals. If your partner is trying to communicate, respond to them with full attention. The newspaper you are reading or the email you are replying to can wait for a while. Look them in the eye and listen to what they are saying genuinely. Respond effectively by employing effective communication skills. Try not to dismiss their idea or thought. Instead, communicate with an open mind and acknowledge them for whatever they feel.
Moreover, you can try doing an activity together. Plan ahead. Organize a trip to any beautiful place every now and then to get the most of your time. Even reading a book together will give the other person a feeling of being valued. Cherish the company of people to show appreciation.
Related; 5 Effective Ways to be Non-Judgmental in Practice
6- How to show appreciation- Be supportive and strengthen them
Oftentimes in life, we get into stressful situations. Life’s stressors try hard to break our spirits and crush our enthusiasm. These tough and challenging times can be unbearable if you don’t have a shoulder to lean on. People succumb to depression and give up on their lives due to a lack of social support. Thus, if you have any single person in your life, who is there for you during the most desperate times then you should appreciate them immensely.
One way to show someone your appreciation is by giving them strength and support. Be present when someone needs you. Being supportive not only gives them a sense of belonging. But it also strengthens their ability to deal with life when things got rough.
The importance of supportive relationships can be gauged from the fact that they can increase a person’s life span by reducing stress and anxiety, according to research. Being supportive is an indirect way of hoeing appreciation to people for who they are. Emotional support increases their morale and strengths their spirits to achieve their goals despite failures. This is why having a shoulder to lean on is immensely important for your mental and emotional well-being.
Nonetheless, if you want to show appreciation to someone you value in your life, be there for them in every situation. Whether it is a moment of accomplishment or during an unaccommodating time. Just be there and support them to achieve their dreams and goals. Strengthen them to regain their enthusiasm and start the journey again. There’s nothing more peaceful and joyful in the world than knowing that you have someone to lean on when life seems to fall apart.
Related: How to Build Healthy Relationships | 7 Strong Relationship Tips
7- Motivate them to do better
When you truly value someone for who they are, you encourage them to do their best. Inspiring and motivating people to achieve their best is a way of appreciating them indeed. You indirectly tell them that they have the potential to accomplish even more than they think they can. This level of trust in a person makes them feel valued and appreciated.
To make things clear let me go by asking a few questions. So, why would you motivate someone if you don’t value them in the first place? Why would you want a person to aim higher if your heart doesn’t well up with feelings of love and care for them? You always motivate a person who matters to you. On the other hand, a person you do not connect with seems to hold little space in your heart. You would be kind to them though, but kindness doesn’t mean appreciation.
It would be an understatement to say that motivation and appreciation go hand in hand. Appreciation motivates people to exhibit their full potential. It revives their energy. As Chrysos, HR solutions limited says that motivation and appreciation are important to keep your employees and colleagues motivated to boost creativity. This in turn leads to the growth of a business. Similarly, motivation at home leads to a healthy competitive environment where every individual feels valued and strives harder to set the bar high.
In a nutshell, motivation and appreciation are dependent on each other. Therefore, if you want to show appreciation to someone make sure that you motivate them as well.
Related; What is Motivation? – Why it is important in Life?
“The way to develop the best that is in a person is by appreciation and encouragement.”
Charles Schwab
8- Say something meaningful to show appreciation
Words are powerful. They have the ability to make or break a relationship. While they have the potential to encourage a person. They also have the ability to discourage people and shatter their souls into pieces. Thus, being vigilant while saying something, lest it should crush the spirit of an individual, is of utmost importance in today’s world.
Today you interact with people more than ever. Throughout the day you interact with people on social platforms. You even come across people you don’t know, but still engage with them. Being watchful of our words is therefore a necessity now.
Talking about showing appreciation, you do not have to go out of your way all the time. Using good and well-meaning words can do the job too if said from the depth of your heart. While ‘thank you or ‘much appreciated’ might have been your go-to words for years, it’s high time that you choose your words carefully now and be specific while showing appreciation.
To show appreciation to someone who helped you, you can use words like ‘Thank you for the time you took out to help.’ Or ‘I am indebted to you for this.’ Also, you don’t have to wait for someone to help you to appreciate them. Make appreciation a habit. Thank your wife for the wonderful dinner she prepared for you. Thank your uber driver for a comforting journey back home. Even, thanking your house help or your office staff should be a norm.
So, use meaningful words to show appreciation to people you value. Well-chosen words won’t cost you anything. It will hardly take a minute to say it. But, your few words can brighten up someone’s entire day. Also, you will feel more fulfilled realizing that your words brought a smile to someone’s face.
Conclusion
Humans have the desire to be seen and encouraged for who they are and what they do. The want of being appreciated is thus innate. However, as much as appreciation holds the value we seldom spare any time to show it the right way. A quick blurt out ‘Thank you or ‘much appreciated’ shows that you care, it, however, doesn’t satisfy the other person. So, take your time out to practice these 8 tips shared above while showing your appreciation to someone you care about and value in your life. From showing appreciation to your partner to appreciation at work, these tips will surely come in handy in times of need.
