Appreciate
A Word
ap·pre·ci·ate
verb
recognize the full worth of.
"she feels that he does not appreciate her"
be grateful for (something).
"I'd appreciate any information you could give me"
rise in value or price.
"they expected the house to appreciate in value"
A Thought
When something appreciates, it rises in value. It’s worth more, but we also recognize its full worth and we are grateful for it. We can easily imagine our house rising in value on Zillow, our 401k earnings going up, or realizing that something you bought for a steal was worth more than you paid for it. The joy, excitement, and delight are palpable. However, appreciation isn’t just for the financial side of life, it applies virtually everywhere.
We often fail to truly appreciate the “little things” in life. It’s only when the “little things” of life are interrupted that we realize they are the big things. Let me give you a couple of examples.
A massive storm rolls into town and you are without power in the dead of winter. You walk into the bathroom and without thinking flip the light switch. You think about making dinner, but then remember the oven doesn’t work. The house is cold, dark, and eerily quiet. When the power finally comes back on everyone shouts cheers of joy. Finally, back to “normal”. For the briefest of moments, you truly appreciate something that almost every other day you take for granted.
You caught the flu and you’re sick in bed. You have no energy and can barely make it to the bathroom and back. All you can do is sleep. If you’re fortunate enough, you have a loved one who can bring you fluids and pain reliever. A few days pass, your fever breaks and you wake up the next day feeling like a human again. There is a moment of such gratitude. You appreciate that you have the energy to take a shower and make yourself food. You’re so grateful that you can go outside, drive, and even go to work!
An Invitation
This week I invite you to practice appreciating the “little things” in your life. Be intentional with your attention. When the familiar creep of discontent or frustration (or other negative state of mind) rises, pause, take a deep breath, and choose to appreciate. Better yet, don’t wait for discontent. Be proactive and appreciate the not so little things and people all around and within you right now. What happens to your mood when you practice appreciation?