I read something that asked, “How to make someone feel appreciated in 60 seconds.” I thought about it for a while and came up with “Say the nice thing.” That’s it. That’s the secret.
I think we spend an incredible amount of time thinking wonderful things about people that we never actually tell them.
“She handled that so well.”
“He always makes everyone feel welcome.”
“She works so hard.”
“I’m really proud of him.”
“I don’t know what I’d do without her.”
We THINK these things all the time. But how often do we actually SAY them? It takes less than 60 seconds to send the text. Make the call. Give the compliment. Tell your coworker you noticed. Tell your student you’re proud of them. Tell your friend why you appreciate them. Tell someone they made a difference.
And be specific. There’s a big difference between “You’re awesome!” and “I noticed how you went out of your way to include her today. That says a lot about who you are.”
