“Thank you” isn’t hard to say — the two words take approximately one second to speak, and yet they hold an immense amount of meaning.
Feeling appreciated is a strong motivator for people, both at work and in life. That isn’t to say I only do things for recognition, but there is something to be said for working incredibly hard on something — whether it be an assignment at work or a dinner for your significant other — and having that hard work be acknowledged and appreciated.
Last weekend after a particularly long day, I arrived home to find my incredibly sick roommate lying in bed. This was around 11:30 p.m., and I had to be up early the next day, but I stayed up for the next three hours making sure she was OK before she eventually fell asleep.
While I wasn’t expecting anything from her in return, I arrived home the next day to a pile of candy on my desk accompanied by a note thanking me for taking care of her. On a day when I was feeling exhausted and cranky, her simple “thank you” served as a reminder of why I will go out of my way to do nice things for other people.
On the flip side, however, it’s important to realize that if you aren’t getting the validation that you need — whether it be in your work life or in your personal relationships — all you have to do is ask.
This can be seen in the classic example of children never hearing from their father that he is proud of them, when the father could be expressing his pride in his children to almost everyone else that he knows.
If we refuse to make it clear that we have the occasional need to be appreciated, we run the risk of never being acknowledged simply because our family and friends could assume that we already know.
If you’re feeling underappreciated, tell someone. Chances are they’ll be more than happy to remind you of how much they value you.
Regardless of whether people are willing to admit it, everyone wants to feel appreciated.
So whether it’s a kind stranger holding the door for you, or your mom sending you a care package for no apparent reason, say “thank you.”
Express your gratitude and let people know you appreciate and value what they’re doing. You never know who needs to hear it most.
