Appreciating the People in Our Lives
2 days ago, it was International Women’s Day. Just as we celebrated the women in our lives on that day, it’s also important for us to show appreciation for them and other people in our everyday lives.
Research has shown that gratitude is able to lower levels of stress and to boost one’s mental health. Exercising gratitude in our daily lives, as well as demonstrating it openly to those we appreciate, can not only make our day better, but brighten up someone else’s as well. Let’s talk about how we can show appreciation for the people in our life.
1. Noticing Those Around You
In the hustle and bustle of modern life, we may find ourselves working long hours with our sights set on productivity, efficiency and success. In the process of going about our day, we may often overlook people in our lives. This can be anyone, from the next-door neighbour who smiles at you in the lift, or the cleaning staff at your workplace, or the barista who brews your favourite cup of coffee you pick up before work every day. They too are people whose day can be made better with a simple expression of appreciation.
No one is ever too insignificant to be worthy of appreciation, and everyone loves receiving a simple act of kindness or appreciation in the day. Simply asking about your neighbour’s week, greeting the cleaning staff by their names and complimenting the barista can be small gestures which go a long way.
Across social media, simple acts of kindness and appreciation like these have often demonstrated the power that noticing someone and complimenting them can hold.
Don’t underestimate the power of appreciation, you never know who could be in need of a kind word. Your celebration of their presence and what they do can mean the world to them.
2. Through Their Love Languages
Gary Chapman first introduced the concept of love languages in his book The 5 Love Languages. In it, he details 5 different communication styles and the ways through which different people express and receive love. The five type of love languages are: words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time, and physical touch.
All of us tend to have dominant styles of giving love and these are the ways through which we prefer to receive love as well. For example, some of us spend hours mulling over the best presents for our family members and shower them with small gifts as forms of encouragement over the year. If you fall in this category, chances are you feel especially touched when someone puts thought into giving you something you love or leave tiny gifts of appreciation around for you from time to time.
Knowing someone’s love language is one of the best ways to make them feel appreciated. Since we all have different types of love languages, the way we prefer to give and receive ours may not align with those around us. Therefore, they may not perceive our displays of appreciation as strongly. Making the effort to find out what their love languages are and how they prefer to be celebrated is the best way to ensure that the recipient of your appreciation knows how much they mean to you.
3. Engage in What Matters to Them
Expressing an interest in the likes and dislikes of someone you cherish is just as crucial to make them feel heard and appreciated. This can come in the form of participating in the same activities as them or simply listening to them.
Take the time to reach out to those who matter to you to ask if you can go along with them on their favourite activity, be it hiking or swimming for example, is an easy way to do so. Making the effort to initiate activities and to turn up demonstrates your sincerity and lets them know you matter to them.
When listening, keep and open mind and wait for the other party to finish sharing about their day or interests before jumping in. Finding out more about their interests during your leisure time can allow you to understand them better and be able to engage even more effectively with them as well.
At the end of the day, sincerity will shine through in your actions no matter which course of it you choose to take. No man is an island. As we work together with people in our lives, appreciating them is of utmost importance. At BCD, we cherish and work closely together with our team, and with our clients. If being a part of this community interests you, feel free to reach out to us. At BCD, our focus is YOU.
