Appreciation – A Path to Happiness

People are quick to complain and talk about the bad things that happen, but they’re not so quick to express appreciation. I don’t know about you, but it feels especially good when someone takes time to express appreciation for something I did. So, when it happens, it’s meaningful and it feels good. The wonderful thing is you don’t have to wait on someone else to appreciate you. You can get the same benefits by expressing appreciation to others and about your own life.

Appreciation is a little-known secret to happiness. Appreciation has a similar energy as love. It puts you into a positive, uplifted state which colors how you see the world. When you appreciate your life, it makes you look for the good things happening to you right now. Expressing appreciate is a simple, yet powerful tool to set a positive tone for your day. If you’ve ever kept a gratitude journal you know what I’m talking about.

There’s some interesting research about the effects of gratitude. In the How of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky, she states that according to a series of studies conducted between 2002-2006, people who are consistently grateful have been found to be relatively happier, more energetic, and more hopeful and to report experiencing more frequent positive emotions. They also tend to be more helpful, more spiritual, more forgiving, and less materialistic than others who are less predisposed to gratefulness. (P90)

With all the things happening in the world today, we need simple things that make us happier and more energized. If expressing appreciation can make us just a littler happier and more energetic – why not try it. It doesn’t cost anything but time and the effort to look for something positive.