Appreciation & Gratitude

Appreciating something and being grateful for it are two different things. Learning to focus our attention towards what doesn't appear to be remarkable may just be remarkable :)

I love appreciation. I love gratitude. However, I feel they often get mixed into the same feeling, while I feel they are distinct and both truly important.

I’ve written about both Appreciation and Gratitude before, but I’ve been discussing the differences and similarities between the two words with a few people and I feel a MiniBook could be fun 🙂

Today, I would like to read a book that brings us to bring both appreciation and gratitude into the moments of our day, our day as a whole and through our life.

Let’s do this!

I was reading a book on positive psychology that was endorsing the concept of writing our 3 Daily Gratitudes. I am incredibly grateful that psychology is recognizing the benefits of gratitude! Vedic theory has been guiding us to connect with gratitude for a very long time, as well as appreciation.

Sidenote: I am not a psychologist and there are so many trained professionals out there. I am a person who loves to learn about various ways to make my life the best it can be. I don’t have professional answers, I just share with the hope that those who’d like some ways that might add to their personal wellness world.

Before delving into the ins and outs of Appreciation and Gratitude, I’d like to share a belief I have about mental and physical health: Health is not solely the absence of a problem, but some presence of good. What if in order to feel health, we need to see and feel that absence of a problem and feel the good of the well-functioning of our body, mind and spirit? The simple fact that we are living this day is a good. Essentially, though we may feel a problem in one area, we probably have countless other areas that are working wonderfully and without issue. This is where I’d like us to place our attention: the simple well-functioning of our individual systems.

Through appreciation and gratitude, we can notice the simple items we might not notice otherwise.

Let’s start by defining…

Sidenote: There can be myriad interpretations of Appreciation and Gratitude. While I was reflecting on these themes, I thought of all the ways we appreciate and feel grateful. I asked others how they live these themes as well to see how our interpretations might coincide or differ. One of the big topics of discussion has been about the nuances in appreciation. Gratitude seems to be a fairly universally agreed upon concept, but appreciation brings up far more questions.

Appreciation can be many things. We appreciate a kind gesture or a compliment. We appreciate it when things go our way. We appreciate a gorgeous sunny day at the beach. But how much do we appreciate sitting on a regular chair like we do several times a day for our entire life?

However, I want us to dig into deep appreciation that we can feel in our core.

Karine’s definition of Appreciation: The process of appreciation begins with us noticing an article by the use of our senses and the feeling of our body, mind and Spirit. Our attention is focused on something in the Now and we respond with positive acknowledgement. The act of appreciation comes with the ability to take the time and recognize the well-function and lack of issue of the item of attention, and even compassionately recognize something that is not at its best. Though appreciation and gratitude may be considered as the same, they are different. In order to feel gratitude, one must notice, then appreciate the article of gratitude. Appreciation, is not however, less than gratitude in magnitude.

Yes, I liked my oatmeal and berries this morning, but if I was eating my oats from a place of true appreciation, I give myself a wonderful moment of appreciation instead of wishing for pancakes.

Karine’s definition of Gratitude: Gratitude is an attitude of noticing and appreciating separate elements of our life that allow us to live, thrive and strive. Gratitude comes with an innate understanding that the element being focused on is non-permanent. Though gratitude is an attitude, it can also be a unique experience and emotion. When gratitude is an emotion, it can be prompted by an event or can be a blanket approach to observing and living our life. Gratitudes (plural), in contrast, are each and all of the noticed elements. Gratitudes and gratitude used together create a vantage point of appreciation towards all the elements of living, including what is unseen and unknown.

Gratitude is feeling that if we could have anything else, we wouldn’t. We are grateful for what we have.

Appreciation is in the Now and a quick flicker, while Gratitude is generally after-the-fact and longer.

Why does this matter?

Most of us feel that there’s a lot going on in the world and we have our own personal worries. And rightfully so! There is a great deal to be concerned about. I don’t mean to be a downer, but there it can be a real challenge not to feel overwhelmed by all the news and injustice there is in the world and locally, as well as our own personal concerns.

Beyond our shared concerns with the world around us, our personal worries, we also have our daily aches and pains which can often take our attention.

At every moment, we have the ability to direct our attention towards something good; be it within our body, our mind, Spirit, surroundings and general world.

Let’s compare and contrast

Appreciation is in the current moment.
Gratitude is after.

Appreciation is an internal experience.
Gratitude is expressed outwards.

Appreciation is slowly savored in the moment.
Gratitude is speaking out how much we enjoyed.

Appreciation is the exploring of the Now.
Gratitude is the memory.

Let’s try, shall we?

Everyone’s Appreciations and Gratitudes are different. I’m placing a few ideas here to get you started, but they are just a starter.

What do you appreciate right at this moment?

For your consideration:

Each area of comfort in your body, inside and out. These are areas without pain, they don’t call attention to themselves.
The blood circulating through your body.
The air flowing through your lungs and keeping you alive and feeding your cells.
Your current position, be it seated, slouching…

What are you grateful for at this moment?