Appreciaton is the Way
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated—borderline obsessed—with the concept of appreciation. Not just in my personal life, but in my professional work, in how I build relationships, lead teams, and move through the world.
Gratitude is beautiful. It softens us, opens our hearts, and helps us see what we have instead of what’s missing. But over the years, I’ve come to realize something: gratitude is not enough.
Appreciation takes us further.
Appreciation is active. It’s when we not only notice something good, but we take the time to name it, to express it, to let another person feel seen, valued, and acknowledged. It’s the difference between quietly feeling thankful for your friend and telling them, “You bring so much joy into my life. I love how you always know how to make me laugh.”
This book—Gratitude Is Not Enough, Appreciation Is the Way—has been on my heart for years. It’s filled with personal stories and real-life moments where appreciation transformed relationships. Because when you practice appreciation, you create ripples: a deeper connection with your partner, more trust in your team, more compassion in your neighborhood, more self-worth inside yourself.
Appreciation builds emotional bridges. It strengthens resilience. It invites co-elevation—the kind of collective rising that happens when we see and celebrate the best in each other. And it’s not hard to start. A kind word. A handwritten note. A quick message telling someone what you admire about them.
I believe this can be a movement—one that shifts our culture from transactional to relational, from polite distance to heartfelt connection. Imagine what would happen if, every day, we each named one thing we genuinely appreciated about someone in our lives. What would that do for them? For us? For the way we show up in the world?
This month, as we approach Thanksgiving—a time when so many of us reflect on what we’re grateful for—my invitation is to take it one step further. Don’t just feel gratitude quietly in your heart. Make it active. Turn it into appreciation. Tell the people in your life exactly why they matter to you. Let them hear it, feel it, and carry it forward.
Because when we do that, we don’t just improve relationships. We change lives.
With much appreciation for your continued support,
Daniela
Founder, Seekers Circle
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