Feeling appreciated is what builds bonds between couples and friends. Regardless of your relationship status, you most certainly have some close friends that you want to show your appreciation to, or maybe you want to show your spouse how you appreciate all that they do. You can most certainly show someone your appreciation without going broke or taking too much time out of your day. When you show someone how much you appreciate them, it allows you to create a domino effect of that person showing appreciation to another person. Don't you just love how that works?
There are many simple ways you can show someone your appreciation and here’s some great ideas:
Hand Written Notes – a small hand written note to say thank you or I appreciate you is a great way to periodically show your appreciation to others. Taking the time out to say "I appreciate that you did this for me today", shows that you sincerely care about them.
Fresh Cut Flowers – think about your spouse, or maybe a close friend, fresh cut flowers are a great way to show appreciation, and it's also a great way to bring some color to your home and the person receiving them, cheeks.
Write a Poem – if you are creative like this, why not write a little poem that showcases your appreciation for something someone did for you recently. My daughter loves to say "Rose are Red, Violets are Blue, you're the best mommy, and I love you". Even at age 4 she shows how much she appreciates me and it didn't cost a thing.
Do Something Nice – you can always do something nice for someone you care about as a means to show your appreciation for them. How about making a cup of coffee for your spouse before he/she walks out the door, or show up at his/her job with lunch?
Make Time for Them – set aside a specific day and time where you do something that this person loves to do with them. Making time for someone else, especially when you don't have a lot of it and it seems like you're busy all the time, is another way. It shows the other person that you care enough to spend even an hour of your busy day to spend with them, because you truly appreciate them.
Give Compliments – a nice compliment can go a long way, this is a super simple way to show appreciation by giving a compliment to this person. Giving a compliment doesn't cost a thing and is a very easy way to show how much you care.
Read The 5 Love Languages Book – this is a great way to understand how to show appreciation to a special person by using their love language. I purchased the book myself and have found that my spouse and I speak completely different languages. What may work for you may not work for your spouse.
Walk Down Memory Lane – take a trip down to memory lane with this special someone where you discuss memories that made a difference in your life. Before you got married, you spent a lot of time going out and doing things together, now you are so busy with work, the household and kids, that it seems like those days are gone, but you can rekindle that spark by going down memory lane.
Make a Public Notice – with social media being at our fingertips, use it to do a public announcement sharing how much you appreciation this person. We share all the bad stuff on social media, how about sharing some good instead?
Give a Big Hug – nothing lets someone else know you appreciate them more than just giving them a big hug. Who can resist smiling when you're given a hug?
Be Honest – when trying to show someone your appreciation to someone be sure to keep it sincere, honest and to the point. No-one likes a liar and keeping it "real" is a good way to show how much you not only appreciate them, but respect them as well.
Give a Gift – a gift of appreciation can be something like a card, a small novelty item or something that this person needs as a means to say you appreciate them. How about making a gift if you're crafty? It shows that you cared enough to make it and not just buy it.
Stop Complaints – do not complain in any part of giving your show of appreciation, the whole point is to focus on the positives of what this person did. If you're complaining while showing your appreciation, then it means that you truly don't appreciate what they did.
Remain Positive – a smile and a happy face will go a long way when you simply tell someone you appreciate them.
There are so many simple ways to show appreciation to someone. These are a good starting point for you to make the time to show that special someone what they mean to you. Maybe your partner goes up and beyond to provide for your family on a regular basis, take the time to show them that you appreciate their efforts. Acknowledging something someone has done for you by showing them appreciation will go a long way in making you both feel special.
Let's discuss: How do you show your appreciation?
Note: All flower photography done personally by me.