The Power of Appreciation

You don’t know what you have until it’s gone – we’ve all heard this saying, and it is painfully true. Hot water, a mobile phone, a loved one. We feel the loss, make a promise to not take things for granted anymore and instantly fall short. The intention is there, but life gets in the way.

Wellbeing – physical, mental and social – is a topic under increasing debate, especially how to achieve it in a workplace. Organisations set up wellbeing programmes, offering yoga classes, gym memberships, quiet rooms, mindfulness sessions, even on-site doctors, in their quest for a happy workforce.

But what if wellbeing could be tackled by a simple shift in our outlook on life, a shift from reactive to proactive appreciation?

Appreciation is extremely powerful. I have always known this, but have only recently truly experienced its full effects. I recently enrolled at General Assembly in London to change career into UX Design having lost sight of the drive and determination that defines me. Going into the course, my main objective was to learn the skills I needed to become a great designer and, ultimately, to get that drive back. If I made any friends, that was a bonus.

As we approached our first Friday at General Assembly, our instructor, Zoe, introduced the ‘appreciation jar’. We were each invited to write short notes on post-its to people in the class, describing why we appreciate them. Like most, I was skeptical. It felt a little forced – if I appreciate someone, I’ll just tell them myself. But did I ever do that? Well, not really.

Receiving my first set of notes was a memorable moment. Within just one week, we already had so much to be appreciative of in one another, and that was quite moving. As the weeks went by, I realised where the true value lay in it for me – it wasn’t receiving these special notes, it was the act of writing them to others. It enabled me to shift my perspective, and filled me with positive energy. I also felt my relationships with my classmates strengthen, and in the field of UX Design where collaboration and communication are key to success, this was incredibly effective.

Every day throughout the 10 week course at General Assembly, our class took part in a daily stand-up, taking it in turns to describe what we had learnt the day before, what we were excited to learn that day, and to air any blockers. On a number of occasions, however, our instructor changed this normal routine for an appreciation stand-up. We went around the class as usual, but this time we told the group what we appreciated about the course, our classmates and our instructors. Saying it aloud went one step further than writing the notes; hearing what other people were appreciative of was an entirely moving and bonding experience, and also an alien one. But again, the value for me came through my own appreciation. I felt overwhelmed with positivity, and really quite emotional. It made me recognise how grateful I was to be there, and I don’t think it was a coincidence that I was highly productive that day.

I have never learnt so much as I did at General Assembly in such a short space of time. I expected to develop research skills, to improve my aptitude for design, and to learn new tools. What I didn’t foresee was that the experience would shape my perspective on life, and show me the benefits of appreciation.

I don’t find it easy to keep up, I must admit, despite having always been a generally positive person. To help, I have an appreciation journal which I write in (almost) every day. Putting it simply, practising appreciation has helped to improve my outlook on life, and has given me a greater sense of wellbeing. Soon, I hope I won’t have to ‘practise’ it, it will just be a habitual way of thinking.

So, rather than waiting until it’s too late (you don’t know what you have until it’s gone), be proactive in your appreciation. The effects are quite overwhelming.