Unappreciated

I was talking to my fiancé about a post that has been in my head for a while, but I haven't known how to word it correctly. It's about the common theme I've noticed of, practically all women, feeling unappreciated. I brought it up to him and he said, "It's not just women, it's the human population." Whoa! Light bulb! 

So then my wheels started turning and it lead me to these thoughts.

Does anyone on this planet feel the adequate amount of appreciation they think they deserve? I, honestly, don't think one person feels they are as appreciated as they should be, but the thing is, they are probably even more appreciated than they could ever imagine. 

If you're a good person you give to the people around you. You help when you see some one in need, you send flowers when grief has struck somewhere, you lend a shoulder for tears to fall on, you buy your friend lunch, you wash your significant others car, you sew your boyfriends ripped pants, you hold the door open for strangers, and occasionally, you even let people in front of you, while driving, if they have their blinker on. Most people do these things and I think most people end up feeling like it all goes unnoticed. 

Well, I want to tell you; it isn't unnoticed and you will never catch the feeling of complete and utter appreciation that you long to feel. I don't think it exists, so quit chasing it. You take away from the good you're doing. 

People notice you and your sincere efforts to be a good person. It might not be the person you held the door open for, but it could be the person that was in the parking lot and saw you holding the door open, so they held the door open for others, when they entered. 

Do you know how many conversations I've had about my friends, family, and strangers and how much they've impacted me and mean to me? Countless! And I highly doubt any of them know the immense amount of appreciation I hold for every single one of them. I actively try to show them and tell them, but that's the point...people don't pay attention to that. People want to feel appreciated, but when they are shown forms of appreciation, they ignore it, get bashful about it, it's not a big enough gesture to rave about, or they just let it roll of their shoulders and move on with their life. I'm guilty of all of this too, especially with the people closest to me. They'll say thanks and I'll think, "Yeah, whatever, you don't really care." (Haha). But the thing is they do care and are sincere in their thankfulness. 

It's really hard for people to show their emotions. They can want to jump up and down and kiss you, because of the sweet deed you did, but they will hold it in and simply say, "Thank you." So let 'thank you,' be enough.

If people stopped to notice, they would feel more appreciation. But stopping to notice is hard. So if you can't do that, just quit the chase to be acknowledged for all the good you do and just do it. 

People notice.

You are admired more than you know, by people you would be surprised by.

Do good and know you are appreciated.