Page 194 - C:\Users\STEVEB~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msoF8C5.tmp

ϭϵϰ

3$57 - /(&785( - 7+( 32:(5 2) $335(&,$7,21

What Is Appreciation?

When we have gone through the process of increasing our awareness and then moved forward
into the phase of acceptance, the next step toward experiencing greater happiness is through
sincere appreciation.
Traditionally we have been conditioned to understand appreciation as something we “must”
do. Parents, family, teachers, in fact everyone we have human contact with, program us
through experience to be appreciative and grateful in life. It is human nature to resist when we
feel forced to do anything, so as a consequence, appreciation is all too often squeezed out of
us rather than being expressed as the sincere and genuine feeling of gratitude.

Guilt is all too often used as a tool to engineer appreciation out of us, especially during our
childhood years. “You take me for granted”, “You don’t appreciate what I do for you”, “You
don’t appreciate what you have” are all familiar expressions.

As a result, in the adult world, the power of sincere and genuine appreciation is all too often
overlooked, and the power it contains to generate happiness is missed.

The paradox is that because we have been conditioned to express appreciation, we have also
been conditioned to expect it in return for our acts of kindness, generosity, courtesy, care and
love.
How do you feel when you have repeatedly shown acts of kindness or care and received no
gratitude, appreciation, recognition or acknowledgement in return? Unappreciated.