Successful Relationships Reading Corner
This week, we wrote about why appreciation and acknowledgment are vital to joyful relationships. This is a topic that we find very important; here are some other posts describing the same topic in different words.
How Appreciation and Acknowledgment Open a Path to Peaceful Relationships “To appreciate another person takes a decision to approach them with awareness. It requires being conscious of the other person, and not just being wrapped up in yourself and what you are mentally busy with. You have to be observing with attention and be interested. Appreciation involves listening and being open to finding out more about what that person is feeling and thinking. What do they value? What special insight do they have? What brings them joy? This kind of awareness is colored by the intention of generosity; generosity of spirit. You look for the best with open eyes and heart. What’s important is that you are actually looking. By being present with this kind of awareness, you gain much from the connection. You enter another world and find the treasures therein. This is the kind of experience that appreciation for another gives to the ones doing the appreciating.”
How to Strengthen Your Relationships with Appreciation and Acknowledgment “I had an experience the other day that brought up for me just how meaningful it can be to let another person know that you see them and appreciate them. I was texting back and forth with a friend, when all of a sudden, right in the midst of a rather mundane text about little things we were sharing, she wrote “I just have to tell you how much I relish that you’re in my life.” It took my breath away for a moment to receive this comment. It stopped me and turned my mind to thinking about the importance of these kinds of acknowledgments. I know my friend feels this way without her saying it, but it still had a strong impact on me to hear her state it. You often presume that others know how you feel about them, especially those you are in deep intimate relationships with. And this is probably true a lot of the time. It is meaningful, regardless of this fact, to speak and show your appreciation, and never to take those you love for granted. Often you tend to become accustomed to those you share most deeply with, and you feel safe and comfortable with them. This can lead to a certain form of sleepwalking, rather than conscious recognition of the preciousness of those special connections.”
Find Joy And Peace through Appreciation And Acknowledgment ” A few days ago, we celebrated my favorite holiday, where we get together with loved ones and express our gratitude and thankfulness. The two intertwined paths that bring these feelings into a living reality are Appreciation and Acknowledgment. Flavoring your relationships with these two creates a soft, gentle energy of peace. Perhaps you say thank you for a simple act that is just a part of sharing living space, like washing the dishes, or you let a friend know that what they said helped you move forward. Regardless of how unnecessary it is to say, something very special occurs with these small acts. The other person knows that they are being seen. They feel acknowledged. Maybe your partner tells you they are so glad you are in their day, or a friend shares how much better they felt after talking with you. A warm feeling moves through you to your heart. You feel seen. You feel appreciated. There’s an inner joy you create when you tell your mother, father, sister, brother how much they mean to you, how important they have been for you. So simple, yet so profound.”