I was a stay at home mom and home schooled my kids for 12 years.
I loved being home with the kids although it was super hard and thankless work. The hardest work I have ever done in my life for sure. Moms are often taken for granted, and always expected to do more, give more, and be more. This didn’t really bother me, but it could be extremely exhausting.
At the end of a super busy hockey season, the coach gave me a hug and said “thank you, I appreciate you”. Those are not words that I had ever heard, and they stopped me dead in my tracks.
It wasn’t “I appreciate what you did for me”.
It wasn’t “I appreciate what you gave me”.
It was “I appreciate YOU”.
Maybe it was the space I was in at the time that made those words land so powerfully on me… or maybe not. I can tell you they had such a profound effect that the world stopped turning for just a moment. I love those moments.
I have thought a lot about appreciation since then and I have noticed that people who feel appreciated, find even more fulfillment in their giving.
Every once in a while, I will throw those words out to someone who does thankless work.
Every time I do, I can see it takes them aback, just like it did with me. I love that.
Showing someone you appreciate them is important.
Backing that up, and telling someone you appreciate them is huge.