Make it a habit to tell people thank you. To express your appreciation, sincerely and without the expectation of anything in return. Truly appreciate those around you, and you’ll soon find many others around you. Truly appreciate life, and you’ll find that you have more of it. Ralph Marston
With Mother’s Day around the corner, it is time for us to reflect on the meaning and power of APPRECIATION. I know some of us feel that Mother’s Day ought to be every day and not just something we spend oodles on during one glorious Sunday of the year. I get it but, we can continue the tradition while acting with appreciation towards our loved ones on a daily basis. Make Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Friendship Day, Me Day an everyday affair, and bathe in the glow that comes from sharing your appreciation for others. Here’s wishing everyone a very Happy Mother’s Day! Ironically, May 9th is the anniversary of my Father’s death and so as we celebrate our Moms, let us send prayers, blessings, and gratitude to our loved ones who have passed on.
Whether we call it gratitude or a thankful spirit, what remains constant is that all of us want to be appreciated by our friends, families, and colleagues. In return, we also must show appreciation to others; friends, family, cohorts, and even the occasional stranger who shows us a helping hand in our time of need. Appreciation from fans and strangers is great too because it reminds us that we don’t live in a vacuum populated by our loved ones only. Appreciation ought to be spread around and given freely.
“Appreciation is the highest form of prayer, for it acknowledges the presence of good wherever you shine the light of your thankful thoughts.” Alan Cohen
Motivation Mondays: APPRECIATION – Balloons of Joy
Sonnet: I Thank You By Henry Timrod
I thank you, kind and best beloved friend,
With the same thanks one murmurs to a sister,
When, for some gentle favor, he hath kissed her,
Less for the gifts than for the love you send,
Less for the flowers, than what the flowers convey;
If I, indeed, divine their meaning truly,
And not unto myself ascribe, unduly,
Things which you neither meant nor wished to say,
Oh! tell me, is the hope then all misplaced?
And am I flattered by my own affection?
But in your beauteous gift, methought I traced
Something above a short-lived predilection,
And which, for that, I know no dearer name,
I designate as love, without love’s flame. via Poetry Foundation
What does appreciation mean to me? While receiving appreciation from others is wonderful, it will fall on deaf ears if we don’t appreciate ourselves. Start with Yourself and then spread the delight and joy to others and see what a shift it will make in your life. Some people think they have to be perfect, perennially kind and lollygagging at everything that crosses their path in order to show appreciation. That is a fallacy. Appreciation comes from an honest place of deep gratitude within. It cannot and shouldn’t be faked. When we spend time thinking about the world we inhabit and all the people that make it possible for us to move from day to night and day again, we can begin to glimpse the true meaning of living with a spirit of appreciation. We don’t need public pronouncements or gigantic awards to confirm that we are appreciated: a simple Thank You, a kind note, a phone call, a mention, all add to our currency of lifelong appreciation.
Say Thank You often: In the blogging world, we often forget to thank those who take the time to visit, read, and comment on our blogs. Every visitor is a valued member of our blog family/community and the appreciation is one we cannot take for granted. Every day we add a post, blog friends come to like, read, comment, or just observe. We can see every interaction as a gift, not a right and view our fellow blog friends as part of our creative growth. Even if we are not always able to reciprocate with the same consistency, we must always value their appreciation. So we must stop often and say again and again and again to everyone who crosses our path and touches our heart: Thank You for Your Support and Love! You are always in my heart and always appreciated. As we grow stronger in expressing gratitude, we will find many ways to reciprocate in appreciation.
The details for Motivation Mondays are below. Join in! The themes for April and May are: 04/06 – PERFECTION 04/13 – MISTAKES 04/20 – GROWTH 04/27 – MINDFULNESS
There are realities we all share, regardless of our nationality, language, or individual tastes. As we need food, so do we need emotional nourishment: love, kindness, appreciation, and support from others. J. Donald Walters
Even though we all crave the gratitude that comes from those who know us, understand our struggle and appreciate the efforts we make, our gratitude must extend beyond them. The need to be appreciated is a human quality and, while some people build walls around their hearts, the walls are because of their fear of rejection or a lingering memory of not being appreciated. Each day we get out of bed and complete our oblations, we must include a moment of gratitude for the gift of life. We live in an abundant yet complex world of wants/needs, denials/done-deals, and acceptance/rejections. Make a difference by brightening someone else’s day.
What Does Appreciation mean to you? In what ways are you appreciative/unappreciative? How do you experience it in your life? Thank you.
Positive Motivation Tip: Appreciation comes in large and small ways. We can start with a simple Thank you! I see you!
Motivation Mondays is open to anyone who wishes to share a motivational quote, photo, personal challenge or a post that encourages others to start the week on an upbeat note. Basic Instructions: Each week, I will have a motivation word to help us create a response. (See listed words for end of November and all of December below) Email address: You may email or share your post as a comment and I will add it to the round-up of related posts. email it to: contact(@)mirthandmotivation(.)com Category tag: – Share your post using Motivation Mondays Twitter hashtag: – Use this on Twitter #MotvnM Dedicated Page: There is a dedicated page for Motivation Mondays. It has the same instructions and will include other helpful tools and a link to the round-up Facebook Page:MotivationOnMondays Join our page and add your post and/or any motivational piece you think will be helpful to others. Facebook Community: We have a Facebook community forum to compliment the page. It serves as another way to share uplifting posts and thoughts. Please join in and add your voice.
Badge: – I created a fun badge using PicMonkey’s free photo editing tools. You can create your own, use WordPress’ integrated tool on your blog or you are welcome to use mine. (see dedicated page) Tag: – Motivation Mondays Hashtag: – #MotvnM
I’m all for spreading the love and appreciation. 🙂 There are times, a simple “thank you” can uplift someone who has been down for a while. And I say yes to appreciating one’s self too! I know people who have a hard time being happy because they don’t really appreciate their own self.
Anyway, thank you Elizabeth for sharing these great words about appreciation. ^__^ Hope you have a happy week ahead!
I remember following a thread about attitude of gratitude. My friends organized it to spread positivity. It helps us stay positive even when the environment is so negative. 😀 Indeed appreciation is really important. 😀
Appreciation means a lot for people who valued life to the fullest and with dignity to live peacefully. It’s really vital to use this “heavenly word” to the people you loved most and friends too.
I appreciate my mom, and we tried to show her our appreciation this past weekend when we had our Mother’s Day celebration a bit early. I always look forward to your posts–thanks for sharing!
your images are so beautiful as well as your words we all need to be more appreciative and start our day on a good note talking positively to ourselves first and then to others
Having manners these days is becoming a lost art, of that there is no doubt, but it truly pains me to see the younger generation not caring so much. I have tried to instill common courtesy into my kiddos and I pray it is taking. A simple thank you can go a long way in showing that you care, that you listen and respect those around you.
It is so incredibly important to always appreciate what you have…the good, the great, even the not so good (it makes wonderful things even more fantastic).
I have never, ever thought that thank you could be a highest form of prayer as what Alan Colen has written. Appreciation could be said in a prayer in various situation. As far as a form of prayer is concerned, it could be considered of being thankful for the good things which the Lord has blessed those who are faithful.
Appreciation to me is when someone acknowledges the effort I put in to something. The gesture doesn’t have to be extravagant or made public, but a ‘thank-you’ is always nice. Especially when my husband appreciates the things I do at home. I also take the time to be thankful to him when he helps me out in the household chores. Nobody owes us a living and I’m always reminded to be grateful to those who make our living more pleasant 😉
Appreciation is a vital part of human interaction & if more people actively showed individuals that they are appreciated, it would have positive affect.
No matter what situation you are in right now or if you are experiencing hardships there will always be something to be thankful for. I remember what my mother always says to me, that appreciating the brighter side of life rather than focusing on the low ones is a better way of dealing with life. That is an advice I take to heart daily and saying thank you often is part of it. Thanks for another inspiring article. Have a great week! 🙂
I have to learn to appreciate myself more. Sometimes very hard, but I have very loving children and my six year old has been excited for the last two weeks about mother’s day and the gifts he has lined up for me. I just wish he knew how blessed I feel that he is excited to make me something and make my day special.
It always makes me feel good after showing gratitude to someone and see the smile on their face. It is very satisfying knowing that I am thankful for what they have done.
Show gratitude and be grateful of what others has help us or do for us. Appreciation has to come from a sincere heart, it don’t have to be expensive but the meaning is very important.
My favorite quote about appreciation is ; “The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness”-Dalai Lama I am glad you shared this post Liz!
Appreciation, no matter how little, always goes a long way.
1) It makes people feel good because it communicates that they’re being valued.
2) It motivates and encourages others to continue to be better.
3) It strengthens relationships.
4) It speaks a lot about a person if he / she knows how to appreciate others.
I agree that appreciation comes from an honest place of deep gratitude within and cannot be faked. I can feel it if a person is appreciative even if he/she does not say it directly or do any special action. Some times a very simple thanks feels better than a fake person saying a whole load of “appreciation” words.
Words of affirmation is my love language, so I know just how important it is to share your appreciation for others verbally and in other ways. It really can make a person’s day!
Appreciation is the highest form of prayer, for it acknowledges the presence of good wherever you shine the light of your thankful thoughts. This caught my fancy. True indeed, being appreciated is a product of being grateful to what god has given you.
One of the worst people are those who do not know how to appreciate what others do for them. A simple word of thanks is all it needs most of the time. But sometimes, these unappreciative people cannot even give that. – Fred
I agree that sometimes we tend to forget our readers to give thanks. Whenever ill be in a good mood or bad days i am still thankful because i know at the end of the day everything will be fine and still be thankful for everything that you have.
It is such a beautiful piece of post !! Thank you posting it . Truly agree that appreciation comes from within and if we feel good about ourself, love ourselves we will see and appreciate others as well too.
me too feel that everyday is a mother day with little one around us.
Today my son was angry at something and later I told him that he was not good today. He made a little letter and wrote sorry Mumma <3
You will never believe how many people actually look at me in surprise when I said thank you to them. This means how under-appreciated they are and it actually made me happy when I was able to make their day a little more tolerable with a simple thank you!
I highly value appreciation – both extending it to others, and receiving it, as well. It really helps provide encouragement when you let others know you appreciate them – and likewise, it’s encouraging to know others appreciate you!
Ahh, appreciation. It’s a concept I try to teach my kids. But the reality is, they teach me to appreciate my life, too, because they are there. The circle of life!
I think it is important to appreciate everything you have. If everyone appreciated things more it would be a better place. People do take a lot for granted.
Great post! I am the type of person that says thank you all the time. I just think it is important to let people know that you appreciate them, their effort, and their support.
Letting someone know how much you appreciate them is an excellent motivator. It doesn’t have to be something elaborate or expensive but a simple pat in the back or a sincere note is enough to brighten up someone’s day.
Sometimes appreciation is something we tend to forget, especially when life is not going as we want to. But when we learn the value of gratitude, we will also find happiness.
These pictures looks so gorgeous. I love the themes you have listed here for May. Will have to check it out for signing in. Love this motivational share. Thanks for inspiring.
Thank you Elizabeth, so the many things you do that benefit the blogging community. Too often, we neglect people and forget how important they are in making our lives easier or better.
This is an awesome post indeed and I love how you share appreciation with every post you share. It is so awesome to show others appreciation so they can pass it forward to other. Thanks so much for sharing.
I totally agree, being appreciative of yourself and what you are capable of is so very important! I like to think I appreciate myself and everyone around me most of the time, but reminders like this are so nice!
Appreciation is the highest form of prayer, for it acknowledges the presence of good wherever you shine the light of your thankful thoughts.” Alan Cohen
is a great quote! love it!!!
I really love your blog Sis Elizabeth, it’s a reminder for positiveness of life. And Thank You for these unending motivational posts, it always touch my inner soul. And I sure Iam feeding my soul with goodness from your words.
This is a good reminder to appreciate ourselves, for whatever we think of, that’s what we attract from others. I show my appreciation to my partner by hugging and kissing him and saying ‘thank you’. I really enjoyed Mother’s Day, I felt mu hubby’s appreciation. Hopefully each day could be like that!
This is a good reminder to appreciate ourselves, for whatever we think of, that’s what we attract from others. I show my appreciation to my partner by hugging and kissing him and saying ‘thank you’. I really enjoyed Mother’s Day, I felt my hubby’s appreciation. Hopefully each day could be like that!
It feels great to be appreciated even in the little things we do. I am glad that friends and family are the kind of people who does not scrimp in praises ( as well as criticisms. They balance to keep us grounded.)
Appreciation is a wonderful thing, my last post is about a lack of appreciation. xxxx
TY Willow, I must read that one and add a connection. They are sisters after all. 🙂
Such a great article. We do all need to be greatful and thankful every day in our life. Thank you and God Bless
Stay blessed too. TY!
I’m all for spreading the love and appreciation. 🙂 There are times, a simple “thank you” can uplift someone who has been down for a while. And I say yes to appreciating one’s self too! I know people who have a hard time being happy because they don’t really appreciate their own self.
Anyway, thank you Elizabeth for sharing these great words about appreciation. ^__^ Hope you have a happy week ahead!
Recently, I have been appreciating the nice weather. Spring really sprung here and I am grateful.
After that nasty winter we had, same here!
Life is wonderful… Always appreciate everything you have!
Yes, a simple Thank You could make someone’s day and actually feel appreciated!
I remember following a thread about attitude of gratitude. My friends organized it to spread positivity. It helps us stay positive even when the environment is so negative. 😀 Indeed appreciation is really important. 😀
Terrific idea!!! It does spread.
I’m appreciative of my life, both the good parts and the bad. Even the bad will eventually bring about something good if I learn from it.
Appreciation means a lot for people who valued life to the fullest and with dignity to live peacefully. It’s really vital to use this “heavenly word” to the people you loved most and friends too.
I appreciate my mom, and we tried to show her our appreciation this past weekend when we had our Mother’s Day celebration a bit early. I always look forward to your posts–thanks for sharing!
Thank you or your kind words… They are appreciated. <3
At its best, gratitude becomes prayerful. Thank you for a lovely post! 🙂
Thank you for your constant wisdom! 🙂
your images are so beautiful as well as your words we all need to be more appreciative and start our day on a good note talking positively to ourselves first and then to others
I’m always surprised as to how often people forget to be appreciative. All you hear is complaints, so sad. Great post as always!
Appreciation. A very good and meaningful post before mother’s day. Nice pictures you have and I love this post very much!
I think sometimes we do get caught in our daily routines and forget to express gratitude and appreciation for things. This is a great reminder!
Thank you Liz! I appreciate you and all our blogging buddies. 🙂
Thank you is always the magic word to say… It’s really good to be appreciated also.. 🙂
I appreciate my mom more than she will ever know.
Having manners these days is becoming a lost art, of that there is no doubt, but it truly pains me to see the younger generation not caring so much. I have tried to instill common courtesy into my kiddos and I pray it is taking. A simple thank you can go a long way in showing that you care, that you listen and respect those around you.
Great post this week. Love it.
It is so incredibly important to always appreciate what you have…the good, the great, even the not so good (it makes wonderful things even more fantastic).
Amanda
I have never, ever thought that thank you could be a highest form of prayer as what Alan Colen has written. Appreciation could be said in a prayer in various situation. As far as a form of prayer is concerned, it could be considered of being thankful for the good things which the Lord has blessed those who are faithful.
Indeed. I concur… appreciation is powerful
It is so nice to see how showing appreciation can change someone’s day. Very important.
Appreciation to me is when someone acknowledges the effort I put in to something. The gesture doesn’t have to be extravagant or made public, but a ‘thank-you’ is always nice. Especially when my husband appreciates the things I do at home. I also take the time to be thankful to him when he helps me out in the household chores. Nobody owes us a living and I’m always reminded to be grateful to those who make our living more pleasant 😉
Appreciation is a vital part of human interaction & if more people actively showed individuals that they are appreciated, it would have positive affect.
This is definitely something we can’t have enough of! Learning to appreciate everything is one of the keys to a full life 😀
Such beautiful colors! I also believe in saying thank you often. People need to know that they and what they do are appreciated!
I hope that you have a Happy Mother’s Day. This time of year is hard for me. I lost my mom a few years ago.
No matter what situation you are in right now or if you are experiencing hardships there will always be something to be thankful for. I remember what my mother always says to me, that appreciating the brighter side of life rather than focusing on the low ones is a better way of dealing with life. That is an advice I take to heart daily and saying thank you often is part of it. Thanks for another inspiring article. Have a great week! 🙂
I have to learn to appreciate myself more. Sometimes very hard, but I have very loving children and my six year old has been excited for the last two weeks about mother’s day and the gifts he has lined up for me. I just wish he knew how blessed I feel that he is excited to make me something and make my day special.
It always makes me feel good after showing gratitude to someone and see the smile on their face. It is very satisfying knowing that I am thankful for what they have done.
Show gratitude and be grateful of what others has help us or do for us. Appreciation has to come from a sincere heart, it don’t have to be expensive but the meaning is very important.
My favorite quote about appreciation is ; “The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness”-Dalai Lama I am glad you shared this post Liz!
Appreciation, no matter how little, always goes a long way.
1) It makes people feel good because it communicates that they’re being valued.
2) It motivates and encourages others to continue to be better.
3) It strengthens relationships.
4) It speaks a lot about a person if he / she knows how to appreciate others.
Learn to appreciate isn’t easy. Thanks for sharing this inspiring post.
All of these posts are so inspiring. Thank you for all these keeping us strong emotionally.
I agree that appreciation comes from an honest place of deep gratitude within and cannot be faked. I can feel it if a person is appreciative even if he/she does not say it directly or do any special action. Some times a very simple thanks feels better than a fake person saying a whole load of “appreciation” words.
Words of affirmation is my love language, so I know just how important it is to share your appreciation for others verbally and in other ways. It really can make a person’s day!
Appreciation is the highest form of prayer, for it acknowledges the presence of good wherever you shine the light of your thankful thoughts. This caught my fancy. True indeed, being appreciated is a product of being grateful to what god has given you.
One of the worst people are those who do not know how to appreciate what others do for them. A simple word of thanks is all it needs most of the time. But sometimes, these unappreciative people cannot even give that. – Fred
Lovely sonnet! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
I agree that sometimes we tend to forget our readers to give thanks. Whenever ill be in a good mood or bad days i am still thankful because i know at the end of the day everything will be fine and still be thankful for everything that you have.
What pretty flowers and thank you!
Love the gratitude flowers! Lots to be thankful for!
It is such a beautiful piece of post !! Thank you posting it . Truly agree that appreciation comes from within and if we feel good about ourself, love ourselves we will see and appreciate others as well too.
me too feel that everyday is a mother day with little one around us.
Today my son was angry at something and later I told him that he was not good today. He made a little letter and wrote sorry Mumma <3
You will never believe how many people actually look at me in surprise when I said thank you to them. This means how under-appreciated they are and it actually made me happy when I was able to make their day a little more tolerable with a simple thank you!
Motivation Mondays sounds like a great way to start the week.
I highly value appreciation – both extending it to others, and receiving it, as well. It really helps provide encouragement when you let others know you appreciate them – and likewise, it’s encouraging to know others appreciate you!
Thanks for sharing this — I definitely needed some motivation this Monday and little on Tuesday doesn’t hurt either!
Ahh, appreciation. It’s a concept I try to teach my kids. But the reality is, they teach me to appreciate my life, too, because they are there. The circle of life!
It’s really nice to thank people and appreciate the things we do. It generates goodwill and make things better.
It sure does… TY!
I think it is important to appreciate everything you have. If everyone appreciated things more it would be a better place. People do take a lot for granted.
I think having a appreciation for people and things is very important. Life is too short to negative. =-)
Great post! I am the type of person that says thank you all the time. I just think it is important to let people know that you appreciate them, their effort, and their support.
I love your motivational posts. It is so true: appreciation can be as simple as a thank you. I can’t wait to read your upcoming motivational posts
I try to tell my husband how much I appreciate him. I think it does wonders for our marriage.
Beautiful post! I love motivation monday <3 Definitely a great way to start off the work week! 🙂 Very inspirational indeed.
Letting someone know how much you appreciate them is an excellent motivator. It doesn’t have to be something elaborate or expensive but a simple pat in the back or a sincere note is enough to brighten up someone’s day.
Another amazing article, very well said, appreciation should always be given to those who deserves it… no matter if it’s small or big.
As they say, genuinely happy people have grateful hearts. A little appreciation goes a long way.
This is a great post. I always try to say thank you and please. You never know when being kind will change someones whole day.
Gratitude is such an important practice! Thanks for the lovely reflection.
Appreciation always motivates me to keep helping others and It seems to always put a smile on someone’s face when I give it to them.
Sometimes appreciation is something we tend to forget, especially when life is not going as we want to. But when we learn the value of gratitude, we will also find happiness.
This is so beautiful. I love the colors. It just makes me feel happy.
These pictures looks so gorgeous. I love the themes you have listed here for May. Will have to check it out for signing in. Love this motivational share. Thanks for inspiring.
Beautiful photos! I love the flowers.
We really do have to show our appreciation more. I like how this post directly speaks to me, I feel like I haven’t really thanked my readers enough.
I really appreciate your hard work on Motivation Mondays week after week, thank you so much!
Thank you!!!
This is such inspiring post. Appreciation is like gratitude, you will be contented if you have appreciation.
Thank you Elizabeth, so the many things you do that benefit the blogging community. Too often, we neglect people and forget how important they are in making our lives easier or better.
Be appreciate at all times for that is commanded by God. Do and blessings will come your way.
Parties and flowers are 2 things I get great photography with!
You are very creative. I’m inspired to create something myself.
What a great post. I love all your motivation!
Oh appreciation! Wish there was more of it! Awesome post as usual! Definitely motivating!
This is an awesome post indeed and I love how you share appreciation with every post you share. It is so awesome to show others appreciation so they can pass it forward to other. Thanks so much for sharing.
There is so much to be thankful for each and every day. Having an appreciative heart will help us start the day right.
I totally agree, being appreciative of yourself and what you are capable of is so very important! I like to think I appreciate myself and everyone around me most of the time, but reminders like this are so nice!
Appreciate all the mothers worldwide this coming “Mother’s Day” and it’ll give freedom to love wonderfully. Fernando Lachica
True appreciation will generate the positive feeling in you and fires enthusiasm and happiness. 🙂
Wow! Look at how beautiful the pattern of the flowers. it looks very spring.
That flower arrangement is just beautiful, what way to see on May crowning day.
Appreciation is the highest form of prayer, for it acknowledges the presence of good wherever you shine the light of your thankful thoughts.” Alan Cohen
is a great quote! love it!!!
Such a broad view about appreciation! I would be forever grateful for everything in my life.
I agree that people wanted to be appreciated because they feel their importance and value.
I really love your blog Sis Elizabeth, it’s a reminder for positiveness of life. And Thank You for these unending motivational posts, it always touch my inner soul. And I sure Iam feeding my soul with goodness from your words.
Thank you so much for brightening my day. I need the boost too. 🙂
Appreciation is something that one should display regularly. Great quote.
This is a good reminder to appreciate ourselves, for whatever we think of, that’s what we attract from others. I show my appreciation to my partner by hugging and kissing him and saying ‘thank you’. I really enjoyed Mother’s Day, I felt mu hubby’s appreciation. Hopefully each day could be like that!
This is a good reminder to appreciate ourselves, for whatever we think of, that’s what we attract from others. I show my appreciation to my partner by hugging and kissing him and saying ‘thank you’. I really enjoyed Mother’s Day, I felt my hubby’s appreciation. Hopefully each day could be like that!
Life is so much something to appreciate. We owe it a lot to HIM. Followed your blog . 🙂
It feels great to be appreciated even in the little things we do. I am glad that friends and family are the kind of people who does not scrimp in praises ( as well as criticisms. They balance to keep us grounded.)
It feels great to appreciate loved ones even in ordinary days. I try to appreciate people who love me as much as I can.
Wonderful and a great approach
What a great reminder for everyone to be thankful.
Great great blog post about appreciation. The art of appreciation really makes the world a much better place to live in.
Love reading your blog- just full of inspiration and I have to say that being in this world with full of appreciation is simply the best feeling.
Thank you and likewise Melgie!
Appreciation is very important. It does not matter if you receive big or small. We need to appreciate anything even a simple effort.
Always be appreciative of the things that come our way, What a good way to start the week,
Those flowers are very soothing in the eyes. We always need to practice appreciation so we can enjoy life.