I just did it and oh, my Lord- the difference! Are you ready to hear this?
So often we think and believe that maintaining a positive relationship takes time and effort. I have been speaking about it myself many times before. We say that keeping up a good relationship is the hardest and most satisfying experience we will ever attain.
Have you heard it before?
We think we need to go somewhere on a vacation to get connected. We believe that we need to leave our homes to remind ourselves, to take time and show we care about the important people in our lives.
We think we need to buy special gifts to show how much we love and appreciate our partners.
We think we need to go out to a romantic restaurant to get the vibe of connection, to get in the mood.
Am I right?
Yes, it is great to do all these things. But, can we do it in other ways?
If you know me and have been reading the stuff I write and speak about, then you know that the answer is a resounding YES!
This morning I went downstairs to set up my computer to begin my work. It is a sunday. Usually I work on Sundays. It is a full day with coaching and self development for me. I read, I study and I coach.
So, when I walked downstairs, I see from the corner of my eye my dear husband beginning to prepare the mixture for pancakes. He loves preparing it. I stood for a second at the entry of the kitchen without him seeing me and just watched. He was listening to his favorite music, humming and getting the batter going.
A wave of appreciation washed over me.
I walked behind him and hugged him. It caught him by surprise. He did not know where it came from. He has done it many times before. What’s new about today?
Today I noticed. Today I paused and internalized it. Today I realized how much appreciated it and showed it. He does not have to make it. He just does.
I hugged him and did not say any more besides “thank you! I appreciate you!” It took me less than a minute to show acknowledgment and appreciation of the action.
How often do you do that? Take less than a second to show appreciation to an act someone does.
Here are a couple of 1-min suggestions for you to try this week:
1. Take one minute to show you are acknowledging something that someone else had done for you. It can be for the smallest act. It does not matter what the action is. The important key is that you are showing you have noticed, appreciated the action andappreciate them.
2. Commit to doing a surprise small action to the person you care about. Can you make them a quick salad for lunch? Prepare them a cup of tea and bring it to their working station? Pick a flower from the outside and place it by them? Leave a loving note by the kitchen table?
In times such as we live today, where restaurants, vacations, cruises, going out and celebrating, can be on hold for a while, these small acts of “I see you” can make a world of difference.
