Good morning friends
Yesterday, I was talking about appreciating ourselves before going to sleep. As I wrote about this, I realised that just as we focus on our own deficiencies and faults, we tend to do that with others too. Very often, we take the good behaviour or good actions of others for granted, and fail to appreciate the good deeds that others are doing. This can happen, not just with our family members, but also with our friends, our neighbours and especially with those who are working for us. And parents do it all the time with their children !
As a Paediatrician, I have to often guide parents about how to nurture the emotional development of children; and one of the important aspects of parenting is to know the importance of appreciating children’s behaviour. Parents often neglect to or do not understand the need to appreciate desirable behaviour of their child but they are quick in pointing out the undesirable behaviour. ( Of course, this happens all the time with respect to adults too ! ). We know that praising a particular behaviour has the potential to motivate the child to repeat the behaviour, i.e. positive reinforcement. It is more beneficial to use positive reinforcement as opposed to negative reinforcement both in children and in adults. I believe that though most adults are grown up in physical aspects, they still remain children at heart ( including myself! )That’s why the practice of appreciating good behaviour works equally well with adults just as it does with children. Speaking for myself, I always feel motivated to work harder when someone acknowledges and appreciates my efforts.
In our spiritual organisation, we are taught that it is important to acknowledge the contribution/ help of others in any work, even when their contribution is minor. This can encourage them to do even better in future.
So, all in all, appreciating others is as important as appreciating ourselves. These days, whenever I find an auto or taxi driver who drives carefully and safely, I make sure to compliment him on his driving while getting off. Invariably, this brings a smile to his face and I am convinced that he drives even better in his next rides. Once we realise the importance of appreciation, we can find innumerable opportunities every day to put it into practice: when someone makes a cup of tea for you, when someone cooks food for you, when someone cleans for you, when someone takes care of your children, when someone cares for your parents…. the list is endless….even when someone smiles at you and makes your day ! Many times, if I cannot actually thank the person in person, I thank them in my mind and I am certain that these vibrations reach them.
So, are you ready to add on this practice of appreciating others to the nightly practice of appreciating yourself ?
Love,
Anjali Bhatawdekar
