The Effect These 3 Words Can Have On Anybody.
Master the deliverance of gratitude in any situation.
Generally, ‘Thank You’ is the most common form of gratitude bestowed upon another after a service or favor is completed.
Usually received by a ‘You Welcome’ but that’s a topic for another post. (Say ‘Thank You’ in return instead.)
Words are the most effective medium we can control. In this case, I’m talking about a three-word expression that is in the same form as a “Thank You” but delivers a much more powerful sentiment.
‘I Appreciate You’.
By my definition, the recognition and acknowledgment of someone else’s effort, time, and/or value. In my opinion, the highest level of sincerity when expressing gratitude.
Here’s a story that happened that solidified this perspective for me.
I was taking my 30-minute lunch at my job one day in the break room, the only time I had to peruse through my emails related to my other projects outside of work.
An older woman who works in accounting, whom I’ve never had the joy of communicating with, much less meeting her since I work in a different department, walked in just as I sat down and pulled out of my phone. She walks towards the freezer, pulls out her frozen Marie Calendar’s lunch, pops it in the microwave, and notices me sitting in the corner.
Mind you, the break room is very small and nobody else was in there.
What started off as a ‘Hello, my name is Misses.’ (That wasn’t her real name but for the sake of her privacy) led to a friendly conversation, which eventually led to her revealing very personal details about her life.
Like losing her husband to a freak boating accident a couple of years ago or recently losing her youngest son to a gang-related issue. How she spent all her money on moving from Texas to California and finally settled in Arizona to start all over. How, after two years of working at this job, she never received a pay raise while everyone else’s pay was being raised every six months or so. (Including mine).
I felt like I knew Misses’ whole 50 years of life in thirty minutes. You can tell this lady has been through a lot, but I never would have known without that conversation. Not once did she shed a tear while reliving those tragic experiences.
I would be lying if I said neither did I, but I felt the pain in her soul and yet the strength she had from revealing her vulnerable side to a stranger sitting in the breakroom. Tears dropped.
I got up, walked towards her, with her permission, gave her a big hug, and told her, ‘I Appreciate You’.
She was confused as to why, and I simply told her, "For telling me your personal information and for showing me what true strength looks like.”
At that moment, with that hug and those words, she involuntarily let all those tears she’d held captive inside of her for God’s knows how long.
She thanked me because she really needed to hear those words for all that she does for everyone.
Gratitude is amazing.
So, I made a list of reasons for myself to express these three words to anybody, even if it’s a complete stranger.
- Sharing personal life details.
- Someone who pushes me out of my comfort zone.
- Their sheer presence.
- Their selfless heart.
- The hard work they put in that goes unnoticed
- Someone’s positivity
- Someone who inspires me
- Their personality/character
It’s a wonderful term of endearment I’ve learned to implement in my daily life.
I’ve also learned one thing about appreciation. Some people will feel uncomfortable hearing those words because they’ve never been told so.
Psychologist and Author Guy Winch states: “People with low self-esteem are often uncomfortable receiving compliments, but not everyone who is uncomfortable receiving compliments necessarily has low self-esteem.”
So, I believe appreciating others is more of a personality trait than a feeling or an action that many do not possess but should.
I appreciate you for reading this post.