Let's chat about feeling under appreciated for a moment. It may be something you are not even aware you are feeling but it will be burning under the surface. Especially if you are a giver.
We all feel unappreciated. It's like no matter how hard you try and how much effort you put in, you feel under appreciated.
Or like someone is taking the piss.
Taking you for granted.
Asking too much.
Being too selfish.
I do understand, that was me one day. I knew I was angry at everyone because I was constantly agitated and annoyed. I would clean the whole house, make dinner even when I couldn't eat it, do extra bits like washing all for other people and by the end, I just felt like Cinderella. Being taken for granted and no one appreciating the hard work you do for them, is really annoying and angering.
But in my grumble I realized something, I was angry at these people who would walk into a room JUST CLEANED and literally throw things on the floor and walk out and then complain the house was messy.
They were angry too.
In my anger I couldn't see it until I was hit with a bomb of clarity. Everyone feels under appreciated. Everyone is a little bit angry that all the things they do go unnoticed.
So I decided to be the example I wanted to set. If you want to live in a certain environment, create it, don't do nothing and expect it to change. But negative reinforcement never really works for me so I created appreciation day.
I picked a member of my family, threw them a surprise appreciation day. I got my whole family involved and didn’t tell her. We wrote a card acknowledging all the things she does for us, bought her a few gifts, bunch of flowers and made her favorite dinner (stew), got some friends involved so they got her small things and put it on social so her other far away friends could get involved too.
The response?
Phenomenal. They dynamic in the house changed because once someone feels appreciated, all those bad vibes and negative thoughts seem to vanish and it lifts the spirit of the room. I couldn't make people appreciate the hard work I did, but I could make sure that everyone else knew how much I appreciated them.
Most people in your life are being taken for granted, if you shine a light on them, tell them you appreciate all the hard work they do, and do so daily. It will be reciprocated. You will not only bond but also you will be happier knowing that you appreciate all the hard work you both do. Like appreciating helping with the washing or appreciating that someone went out of their way to grab milk on the way home.
You have the ability to change your environment with a few small acts of kindness, some compassion and some empathy. Everyone has battles they are fighting and we are all just trying not to drown. Those battles become a lot easier knowing that the little (and big) stuff you do matters.
Show someone that they matter today.
Bring on Appreciation Day!
Best day of the year, especially because no one sees it coming!