I try to express gratitude when and where I can. It’s something I teach my kids and it’s a big family value. Otherwise, we miss the special moments for others and live in a bubble. Selfish living ends up being a rotten existence otherwise.
One of the things I like to do is celebrate other people’s successes and share it. It’s important for them to feel special, but it’s also important for me. I learn another form of gratitude in the process.
When I send a note or make a call, I try to focus on the person and how hard they worked. I get concrete about what I appreciate about them and how I admire them.
After all, everyone has something to teach me. And I want to recognize that.
If you haven’t tried this habit of expressing gratitude and being truly happy for others, I would highly recommend a simple exercise of taking five minutes and jotting a note. Send it off in the mail and watch how it helps you enjoy your own life as well as build others up.
We all need encouragement and celebration. I appreciate it when others give me a kind word. It lifts me up and can help me take on the world.
Oh, and when you are saying something kind, be sure it is sincere and you are fully focused. It’s not an exercise. It is a connection and something that helps you be a bit more human in this world that objectifies life and moves so fast.
