Appreciation is…

“Don’t forget, a person's greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated.”

~ H. Jackson Brown Jr.

Hello, Dear Ones, 

In my last letter to you, I acknowledged that May is skin cancer awareness month. It’s also Mental Health Awareness Month and, come to find out, Nurses and Teacher appreciation time as well as National Small Business month. All the things I love and am are apparently culminating to be celebrated this month. 

*And Mother’s Day! Shout out to all you beautiful humans nurturing the next generation! 

I find it odd that we have to have time to celebrate and bring awareness to these roles and diseases. In the current landscape of our world, I personally think we should be making every month Mental Health Awareness time and highlighting different aspects of caring for our mental well-being. And if I’m honest, teachers and nurses are doing super hard work in the world and that should be celebrated daily, not just at one point throughout the year. 

My point today is all about expressing our appreciation and taking time and space to celebrate the tiny but mighty accomplishments in our lives. 

I wonder dear one, how do you like to be shown appreciation and gratitude? 

Maybe it’s with a handwritten note, or an unexpected call or message. Or perhaps it‘s an act of kindness or a monetary gift of some kind. What makes you feel most appreciated for the work you do in the world? As humans we all have many roles, so what makes you feel appreciated for each role? It may be the same or completely different. 

I  was recently talking with a client about what made her feel most appreciated in her role as a teacher. Her response was that it really comes from the kids she teaches. The food trucks and all that hoopla during teacher appreciation week didn’t do it for her, but getting a note or a picture made from one of her students goes a long way in making her feel appreciated and connected to the work she does in the world. 

When I was a nurse working on an inpatient unit, I felt so appreciated when I’d get some kind of thank you from a peer. We had cards we could send to each other and I always got so excited when one of those was in my work mailbox. To this day with friends and loved ones, getting a postcard or snail mail of any kind is my absolute favorite! I feel so special and appreciated when someone takes that time. 

So what are the things that make you feel appreciated, dear reader? How can you celebrate and appreciate yourself, and what can you share with others about how you’d like to be celebrated and appreciated? 

This could even be a great conversation to have with the people you love in your life, asking them what makes them feel appreciated and then telling them what works best for you. 

We all deserve to be appreciated for the amazing things we’re doing with our wild and precious lives. Take some time to celebrate the steps you’re taking every day to grow and learn and live your best life. If you’re not sure how to celebrate yourself or your accomplishments, let me help. Reach out for a free Where to Begin session. If you’re doing this well, but you know someone who’s struggling, send my info along, I’d love to connect with them. 

How can I appreciate you for showing up to these notes a couple of times a month? What questions do you have about health and well-being, or what would you like to know about to keep these letters enjoyable for you? 

I’m genuinely curious, so to sweeten the deal, anyone who responds to this email will be entered into a drawing for a $15 gift card to a place of their choosing! 

With love and kindness, 

Jessica 

P.S.

I’m switching it up this time and going to share a few things I’ve found and loved in the past couple of weeks. 

This organization: Thumbs Up- they’re focused on Mental Health Awareness and have so many amazing initiatives! They’ll even send a bag of cheer to someone in need (they have amazing bags for kids, teens, women, and men) and they also have a bereavement gift for those experiencing loss. 

This article from Big Think, To be a happier, more successful person, get off the “hedonic treadmill”. I really enjoyed it and agreed with a lot of what they said about ways to be a bit happier in your life. 

This podcast: You Need to Hear This Now by Nedra Glover Tawwab, is new and I’m a huge fan of this creator! Her books and weekly newsletter are amazing!

This show: Queer Eye on Netflix has a new season! I haven’t made it through all of it but episode 4, Jenny Seckel’s Diary was incredible and I feel it aligns very much and speaks to the importance of the work I’m doing in the world.