How to Appreciate Your Way to a Healthier You

Are you grateful and do you share thankful recog­ni­tion, or do you spend more time and energy offering criticism, dis­ap­proval, or con­dem­na­tion? When’s the last time you took a moment to reflect on the things you appre­ci­ate at home and work? Do you spend more time com­plain­ing or appre­ci­at­ing? When you complain, are you doing it to problem-solve or to vent? When we vent, we’re admitting to being powerless and inef­fec­tual. This may neg­a­tively affect your mental state, stress levels, and general health.

From Psy­chol­ogy Today—

“We all complain many times a day to our families, friends, co-workers, customer service rep­re­sen­ta­tives, and even strangers in the elevator. But what many of us don’t realize is that how we voice our com­plaints can have huge impli­ca­tions for our mental health.”

While com­plain­ing simply to vent may be damaging to our mental health, com­plain­ing for problem-solving can be the opposite. Last week, my wife called customer service for a credit card we use. She’d missed paying off the monthly total by 22 cents, and we were charged $39 in interest. My wife began her problem-solving by saying the company was right to charge the interest because we didn’t pay the total monthly charges. She went on to explain how loyal a customer we are, and the CSR agreed. Her problem-solving complaint resulted in the charge being removed. How do you think my wife felt about that? Com­plain­ing for problem-solving can be good for your outlook, mental health, and overall well-being.

Is the opposite true? If venting affects our health in a bad way, does appre­ci­a­tion affect it pos­i­tively? Yes. Suite 101 shared this about the healing effects of gratitude: “The healing effects of gratitude can be seen in the form of healthier rela­tion­ships, increased financial abundance, blos­som­ing careers and improved health.”

Project Appre­ci­a­tion

Are you a com­plainer? Do you appre­ci­ate the good things and people around you as much as you should? If not, here’s your action plan for change: Every day, for the next 21 days, use one of these sentences and live by them.

Appre­ci­a­tion Sentences

• Thank you, I want you to know I don’t take what you do for granted.
• What I most appre­ci­ate about you is __________.
• What I most appre­ci­ate about myself today is _________.
• What I most like about _______ is __________.
• My favorite thing in the world is __________.
• Do you know how much what you do means to me?
• I couldn’t have done it without you.

Only 21 days, one sentence each day, real and from the heart. I’m in — how about you?