A Flurry of Appreciations

A few weeks ago I sat down to send one appreciation note—and ended up sending eight.

That’s the idea behind one of my favorite activities in the Onward Workbook: a Flurry of Appreciations.

I love this one because I’m in a stage of life where batching works really well for me. My brain is the kind of brain where once I think of one appreciation, suddenly ten more come to mind. And my calendar is reliable enough that if I block time for something like this, I’ll actually do it.

It’s a simple example of how self-knowledge can strengthen your relationships and make life feel a little easier.

Of course, batching doesn’t work for everyone. Another approach is what some people call the one-minute rule.

This works best for people who like to act right away—or whose calendars aren’t predictable enough to count on a future block of time.

The idea is simple: whenever someone crosses your mind, take one minute and reach out.

Maybe you send a quick message that says, “I was just thinking about the way you handled that meeting last week. It made a difference.” Or a text: “Your comment in our PLC yesterday is still sitting with me. Thank you.”

Both of these methods—batching appreciations or sending them in the moment—will strengthen your relationships. I’m also willing to bet they’ll make you happier.

The May theme in Onward is Celebrate and Appreciate for a reason. How you close the school year with people often shapes the tone of what’s possible when everyone returns in the fall…and in come cases, if they return in the fall. So don’t wait. Let the people you work with know you appreciate them.

And before I go, let me say this: I appreciate you. The fact that you make time—often in the middle of a very full day—to keep learning and strengthening how you show up for the people you serve. Thank you.

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