When you think of the holidays and appreciation, what comes to mind? Do you think of being grateful for the gifts you receive? Or do you wait for others to show appreciation for what you’ve given them, or done for them?
Or, do you feel appreciation when someone comes to visit, or does something thoughtful for you?
Many of us have been taught to believe that the appreciation comes after the gift, or the kind word, or the thoughtful deed. And yet, so many of us feel unfulfilled, or that we haven’t gotten the things we really want (like love, attention, friendship, gratitude, or time).
There is a way to make the holidays happier, and it has everything to do with changing the way we look at appreciation.
Putting the Law of Appreciation into Practice
Even the touchiest of relationships can be improved over the holidays with the Law of Appreciation. If you’ve never heard of the Law of Appreciation, it goes something like this:
When you express appreciation, or simply acknowledge your own feelings of gratitude, you will experience more of the reason for that appreciation.
If you want your partner or your friend to be more appreciative of you, for instance, find one thing that you appreciate about them. It can be something small, like the way she makes coffee in the morning, or the way he works overtime so the bills get paid.
Then, focus on that one positive thing. Ignore everything else—even if you despise something about that person, ignore it for now while you focus on that one positive aspect.
Let The Universe do its work.
You can appreciate good things and ignore the rest. That other person can raise their vibration and match yours, or the appreciation can go through that person and hit somewhere else. It will ping appreciation somewhere, and that appreciation will always come back to you. No matter where it comes from, you’ll get what you want: you will feel acknowledged, important and valued.
And if you want to continue feeling appreciated, you simply need to keep your own appreciation vibration high. Look for something to appreciate in every person, and in every situation. If you seek out something to grumble about in every circumstance, then you’ll get more to grumble about.
Now let’s talk about how you can use this Law of Appreciation to make the holidays more peaceful, festive…and gratitude-filled.
Make the Holidays Better with The Law of Appreciation
Most of us have a person (or a group of people) we don’t necessarily look forward to seeing over the holidays. It’s not uncommon to feel great stress, Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day.
There’s no rule that says we have to see eye-to-eye with family members, or that we have to put aside our own beliefs just to get along. However, you can use the Law of Appreciation to draw more positive things out of those holiday interactions.
First, think about all the people you expect to see. Include friends, family and coworkers at the office party. It can be helpful to make a list of names.
Now, write down one thing that you can appreciate about each of those people. Maybe Sandy is a great cook, or Bill tells funny jokes. Perhaps Nancy arrives early to help, Frank entertains the kids, or Jenny is a snappy dresser.
It doesn’t matter what it is—there are no rules about what you can appreciate. And no matter what your history is with someone, you can always find one thing.
Keep that list top-of-mind throughout the holiday season. You can express what you appreciate to someone, or you can simply choose to concentrate on it for the purpose of raising your own vibration.
And guess what?
That person, under the direction of The Universe and the Law of Appreciation, will show appreciation. And if they don’t, it will come to you in another form.
Either way, vibes (and cheer) will be higher this holiday.
Higher Vibes for the Holidays and Beyond
Communicating during the holidays can be challenging. Stress is high, views collide, the past comes up, alcohol might contribute…and telling your truth with compassion can be a challenge.
If you’d like more on the subject of communicating through the holidays, listen to the Power Hour recording of How to Communicate During the Holidays. It’s FREE, and will help you to navigate the pressures of the holidays…and maybe even enjoy them!
And as always, you are invited to join the conversation on the Essence of Being Facebook page and in the Healing Forest Facebook group. See you there!
