A Little Bit of Appreciation Goes a Long Way

Oprah Winfrey is one of the most successful and influential people in the world today. Her life-story of the difficulty, poverty, rape, teen pregnancy, and pain that occurred in her early years are well-known and documented.

For the first six years of her life, the young Oprah Winfrey was raised on a Mississippi farm by her grandmother. Oprah has stated that living with her grandmother probably saved her life. While in her grandmother's care, she was taught to read at a very early age, instilling a love of reading in her that she retains today.

Oprah has said that she heard her grandmother state on several occasions that she was "gifted." While the young child didn't know exactly what being "gifted" meant, she thought that it meant that she was special. And that was enough to keep her going. That bit of praise, the thought that she was "gifted" and "special," helped get her through the hard years that lay ahead in her childhood and early adolescence.

Oprah has stated that this small but powerful bit of appreciation from her grandmother gave her the strength, confidence, and conviction to persevere through her pain and to create the path of success and fulfillment that she shares with the world today.

Oprah’s story is a vivid example of the incredible power of appreciation. It only took a little bit of appreciation from her Grandma to make a huge difference in Oprah’s life. Genuine appreciation works that way. When we truly express our love, gratitude, and appreciation for another human being, we have the ability to touch their heart, lift them up, and empower them beyond belief.

Each of us has this power to inspire and uplift others with our words, attitudes, and actions of appreciation. We have no idea what a simple smile, a word of encouragement, or a heartfelt compliment can mean to people around us – family, friends, co-workers, teammates, and even strangers on the street. When we look for and pay attention to the amazing qualities and actions of those around us, it is easy to see incredible brilliance, beauty, and talent within them. When we have the courage to acknowledge this brilliance in others, we remind them of who they truly are, give them an invaluable gift of empowerment, and in return we are personally nourished by the universal principles of abundance and reciprocity…in other words, the appreciation always comes back to us tenfold. Remember, with true appreciation, it does not take much – a little bit can go a long way!

ACTION: WHAT YOU CAN DO

Think of three people in your life that you truly appreciate, respect, and/or admire. Just pick the first three people who come to mind. Write down their names.

Over the next 48 hours, give each of these people the gift of your genuine appreciation. You can write them a card, send them an email, give them a call, meet with them in person, or connect with them in whatever other way works for you. It does not really matter how you contact them or what form it takes, what matters is that you express your deep appreciation for them in a heart-felt, genuine way. Let them know what you admire about them, what positive impact they have in your life, and/or just thank them for being them. Give this gift of true appreciation without attachment, expectation, or agenda and see what happens – for them and for you!