Appreciation Is a Skill.

Sky Palette by Nicholas_T

Appreciation, like gratitude is an often over-looked tool for happiness. Think about it for a moment. How many times in a day, are you appreciative for a kindness someone does for you, or the good service you have received?

Do you notice when a waitress is courteous and timely, refills your drinks without asking and gives you plenty of napkins? Are you aware when other vehicles melt out of your way and lights turn green before you reach them?

What about other everyday items that you take for granted? The kiss from you spouse before you leave for work, or dinner on the table by 6pm. Kids that are doing their homework and get at least most of their chores done each week. Do you recognize the good things you have while their happening?

Appreciation can lead to a more satisfying life. When you notice the good things in life; efficient cashiers, a kind coworker, cherry blossoms in bloom or even your own good health, you feel good.

Appreciation is a gift. It makes us focus on the beauty of the sun, the birds singing in the trees, the wonder of the emerald grass and cobalt sky above. It heightens our enjoyment of simple things like receiving a hug, hearing a child’s laughter or saying the words “I love you.”

Because of our fast-paced lives and the time demands of our jobs, children and personal responsibilities, appreciation helps us be aware of the numerous wonders and beauty that surround us every day. It helps us count our blessings – we have plentiful food, clean water, a warm bed and time to relax and treasure it.

If you want to be more positive and optimistic, take time to appreciate what you have. Your family, friends and coworkers. Your job and steady paycheck. Your health. The conveniences that make life easier – washer & dryer, microwave, TV, CD player, and car. The variety of items for sale in your local grocery store and favorite department store.

During these stressful times when many people are feeling fearful and scared, the power of appreciation can help us to see a variety of people, places and things to be thankful for. Now is when your ability to observe the numerous blessings that still surround you is more important than ever.

"Let us rise up and be thankful,

for if we didn't learn a lot today,

at least we learned a little,

and if we didn't learn a little,

at least we didn't get sick,

and if we got sick,

at least we didn't die;

so, let us all be thankful." – Buddha

Also check out: Appreciation in Action

5 Minute Daily Review.

Pencils and Moleskins 04 by Paul Worthington

Ever feel like the days rush by so fast you don’t have a chance to slow down enough to enjoy them? At the end of the day do you feel like you’ve missed something important, some genius idea or perfect solution to a problem that you couldn’t take the time to investigate?

Start your own 5 minute daily review. At the end of the day as you lay in bed, relaxing your body for sleep, think of the high and low points of your day. What did you love about today? What made you feel great? What would you change or improve if you could do it again?

Your daily review is best done in silence, in a darkened room with few distractions. No one demanding your attention, nothing that needs to be done for those few minutes. When you remember situations that make you feel uncomfortable or ashamed, replay those incidents in your mind, but with the changes you would have made if you could go back.

It would also be a good idea to keep a notebook and pen by your bed. When you get a brilliant idea on how to make amends for a mistake, or a new strategy for dealing with a problem, you can jot them down for action.

Don’t feel tied to doing your review at a certain time or only once a day. Experiment and play with it. Perhaps you would do better taking 10 minutes after work, but before dinner, reviewing the majority of your day while it’s still fresh in your mind. Maybe you want to do two sessions – one in the morning to see what stands out from the day before, and one at night, and comparing the results of both.

Here are a few tips to get the most from your daily review:

• Find a spot where you feel comfortably relaxed and unhurried.
• Set a timer and stay with your review for the fully allotted time.
• Keep paper and a pen nearby to write down your insights.
• Close your eyes and take a 5-10 deep breaths, imagining your muscles unwinding and stress flowing away like water down a drain.
• Be sure to end your session with a positive memory (even if it’s one you have changed to improve it.)

Above all, stay loose. This shouldn’t be a chore. With a positive attitude and a little flexibility this little exercise can give you creative solutions to problems you thought unsolvable, give you awareness of things you want to change, and best of all it can be a wonderful video replay of the happiest moments from your day.

The Ordinary Becomes Extraordinary Through Gratitude.

Gratitude makes your life better. It’s a truth that comes back to me again and again. Practicing gratitude daily and weekly helps you see the beauty and wonder that we lose when we start taking the comforts of our lives for granted.

Simply by watching coworkers who struggle with an unhappy marriage while yours is happy, or seeing that your family is financially stable while a sibling or family member is plagued by money troubles you can find a reason to be thankful. When you click through the television channels and see people in third world countries struggling to find clean drinking water, or receiving the most basic of medical care such as bandages and aspirin, we can come to realize the blessings of the conveniences we use every day without thinking.

How about the benefits of clean, fresh running water? Think of not having clean water to drink, wash and cook with. The next time you turn on your tap, give a big thank-you to the universe for your good fortune. Give a prayer of thanks for the healthy, wholesome food available in your local grocery store. Think of all the people involved; from the farmers to the truck drivers, stockers and cashiers, everyone that helps grow and deliver that food to you.

You can move your attention to the clothes you are wearing. From the plants, factories and workers that make the clothes, to the stores that stock and sell them, and finally to the production and sale of the affordable machinery that washes and cleans the clothes in the convenience of your own home. You can give thanks for the workers who maintain the roads you drive on, from the asphalt layers to the engineers and city planners who regulate and plan the layout and design of interstates and city streets.

Gratitude can be found almost anywhere. Once you start looking, it’s easy to keep finding more and more things to be grateful for. There are books to read, libraries to borrow from, thrift stores with low prices that recycle books and goods for others to use. We have movies to entertain us, video games to play, board games and card games, playgrounds for the kids, zoos to visit and more.

These are just a few of the ordinary, everyday things I am grateful for. I’m sure your list is quite different or even longer. Gratitude is like a magic pair of sunglasses; when you put them on the world seems brighter, kinder and more connected than before. Appreciation for the good things in your life can help you feel more satisfied with life overall, making you feel happier, calmer and more at peace. Increasing the awareness of the beautiful things in life like family, friends, health and home is a great recipe for a fuller life and a more positive perspective, and that can only be a good thing.

Every day perks not to be missed.

Sunshine, lollypops Uploaded on November 7, 2007 by pinkazalea09

As you go through your day, take notice of what is happening. Don’t let opportunities for enjoyment, fun and pleasure pass you by. Be alert and aware of the short-lived joys as they happen. As you add them up you’ll feel happier and find more joy in the little things each day. (This is a great reminder for me as well).

1. The fresh smell of clean clothes.
2. A front-row parking space.
3. A steaming hot shower on a cold morning.
4. A clean kitchen.
5. Savoring your favorite meal.
6. The freedom owning your own car brings.
7. Learning a new skill.
8. Laughing so hard your stomach hurts.
9. A message from a friend.
10. Good music.
11. A comfortable pair of tennis shoes.
12. The smell of fresh-baked cookies.
13. Making someone smile.
14. Giving or getting a hug.
15. The smell of your favorite perfume.
16. The quiet of the neighborhood early in the morning.
17. Green lights all the way home from work.
18. Sunflowers and yellow daisies.
19. A soft cuddly blanket to snuggle in.
20. Fuzzy warm socks for your feet.

Appreciate your family.

We all have problems with our families. We often live apart and endure long distance relationships, or have mothers and in-laws who are too nosy, deal with sibling rivalry, or have those lazy relatives who mooch off of everyone. Might as well enjoy them – you’re stuck with them anyway. Why not make the best of it?

How you might ask? Ah, now that is not a simple answer. First off, I would encourage you to stop trying to change them. Yes, I know it’s hard, I struggle with it myself at times. But people who are bossy, selfish, loud, rude, and cheap don’t typically like to be lectured or criticized anymore than you do. It only adds to the irritation for both of you and doesn’t promote peace.

If you have a cheap uncle, don’t ask him to bring the wine or dessert. Put your loud brother in charge of entertaining the kids or manning the barbeque. Put the bossy mother-in-law in the kitchen and let her organize the meal. Write letters and cards to the loud or rude relatives instead of calling. Work with their strengths instead of focusing on their weaknesses.

Remember you have to deal with these people for a long, long time to come. Making an extra effort can make all the difference. If you really want harmony in the family, consider being the one to apologize, even if you feel you are right. Just say, “I’m sorry we haven’t talked much lately. I miss you and would like to get together more often.” Be aware that you don’t have to spend time with everyone in your family. It’s totally up to you.

Sometimes just taking that first step is all it takes. If two people are stubbornly fighting each other and one decides not to argue anymore, it leaves room for change. Calling someone you haven’t spoken to in a while or taking on responsibility for a reunion can go a long way. And when their quirks and habits annoy and irritate you, you can smile since you know they will be gone in a few hours or a few days. It may even help you appreciate your spouse and children more than before. Good luck!