The Value of Appreciation

Over the years, we have heard people tell us, "your job does not define you..." but is that true?

Imagine that you have a job that you attend daily, you put in long stressful hours and work very hard to help develop the company's image, and you work diligently to do the best work you can. To some people, a handsome paycheck helps them evaluate their importance since their company values their work and compensates them in kind. However, not everyone makes a six-figure income yearly, and their value is not displayed in their yearly earnings. Many CEOs today know that if they can't pay your worth, they will show their appreciation another way, perhaps with tickets to shows, a bonus in their paycheck, extra paid vacation time, or even a parking spot closest to the building. These little signs of appreciation can go a long way to help someone feel like their employer values them.

Gratitude also plays out in the home setting; are we being grateful to our families? Are we showing appreciation to our spouses and children for all they do? It takes such a small amount of caring and sensitivity to tell someone they mean a lot to you. Unfortunately, many people come to this conclusion when they lose a loved one. They feel instant regret and guilt for being aloof and despondent to the ones that mean the most to them. When somebody is appreciated, they walk taller, feel more confident, and make much better decisions in life. Unfortunately, the opposite is true when someone is not appreciated or valued, they tend to feel alone, anxious, and detached from those around them, and they make very poor decisions since they think it does not matter to anyone.

Perhaps the moral of this fictional analogy is that we have the choice to point out the mistakes that others make, or we have the opportunity to see the successes and improvement others are striving to reach and cheer on their perseverance and help build their confidence.