--- title: "The Power of Appreciation" description: "The episode that explains why every Halftime Talk opens with appreciation." author: "Rahim Rasul" type: "Podcast episode" series: "Halftime Talks" episode: 179 published: "2019-05-07" duration: "10 min" theme: "Appreciation and perspective" tags: "appreciation, gratitude, mindfulness, daily practice" audio: "https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/rahimrasul/HTT_PowerOfAppreciation.mp3?dest-id=175061" url: "https://iloveprocess.com/halftime/the-power-of-appreciation/" site: "I Love Process" --- # The Power of Appreciation _The episode that explains why every Halftime Talk opens with appreciation._ **The question:** Can we appreciate the sun in the middle of the storm, and then appreciate even the storm too? Listen: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/rahimrasul/HTT_PowerOfAppreciation.mp3?dest-id=175061 ## Before you listen Not a day goes by that I don't set aside time for mindfulness, and one practice I pour my energy into is appreciation. I practice it unconditionally, without trying to coax the wheels of life to roll my way, only for the satisfying feeling of focusing. If I could, I'd prescribe it for six weeks. You'd be hooked. I used to write lists of what I appreciate, because left to my idle mind I'd fixate on what is and miss the abundance around me. That which we give our attention to expands. We often point at what's absent and ask why it isn't here yet. Appreciation looks at what's already in your basket. Listen for the line he draws between appreciation and gratitude, and for the practice itself: the quiet moments of the morning, a list of maybe ten things, kept in your mind, in your journal, or said aloud. ## From the talk > Appreciation is acknowledging what is inside of your basket right now, what is within your arms reach, what has one day in the past been a dream that you are now standing fully fulfilled with. > > That which we give our attention to expands. > > Even if we fall off of our proverbial wagon, even if we slip and stumble, we have built equity. ## Sit with this - Can we bask in the winter time? - What are the variables, the elements, the pieces of the pie that have come together in such a favorable way? - What are the pieces that are so satisfying as you get to engage and interact with them all day? ## Transcript Welcome back to another episode of Halftime Talks. My name is Rahim Rasul, and you're listening to the podcast that recognizes that in the middle of your game of life, whether you're up by 10 or down by 20, we all need halftime talks to uplift us, inspire us and challenge us to bring that level of performance it's gonna take to win the game. You know that means it's starting to get started on the episode. So typically, right here is where I say, you know where we begin? We begin with appreciation. But guess what? Today we're going to be talking about appreciation. So I, in my humble wisdom, I'm just kidding. I'm totally kidding. Why begin there if we're going to talk about it this whole episode. So without further ado, let's just jump into the episode. There is an incredible power throughout the core of the integrity of appreciation, if you've followed the podcast for any length of time, then you know that we typically begin an episode in a state of appreciation, and that appreciation is for sometimes the most general of Things to sometimes the most specific of things, but ultimately, our appreciation is unconditional in its approach, meaning that it's not the conditions that we appreciate, but the reminder of our broader sense of possibility, wellness, taking care of Ness. I know I'm making up words, but follow along. And so a lot of times we we bask while the sun is out. Can we bask in the winter time? Can we see the details of things coming into place? Can we appreciate the sun in the middle of the storm, and then appreciate even the storm too. Since I've been putting these appreciations in the episodes, I've gotten a bit of feedback that says, you know, I look forward to the appreciations, and that's awesome. I begin my day appreciating. I used to write lists of things that I appreciate, because what would happen was, if I were going to leave it to my idle mind, I would be so keyed in and focused on what is to the exclusion of the beauty, the prosperity and the abundance that always is surrounding me, even if I'm in a space of thoughts and mindsets where I don't have access to it. So what is the power of appreciation? So first power is this interesting dynamic. A lot of people think power is to be used, but power in itself is not to be used, as much as it is something that expresses itself. And as we enter the domain of appreciation the power within it is that that which we give our attention to expands. Some might call that the law of attraction. Some might say the law of attraction is the basis and Hallmark to how we create the preference and the visions that we hold so dear. I admit I am one of those who say that. So that is my opinion. A lot of times we are so oriented on the absence, the absence of all the details that we are in our kitchen, cultivating and curating the recipes and the ingredients so we can create our fantasies, our desires, our wants, a lot of times, often, Often is a better word. Often we are incompatible with those desires and to feel the absence of them, to point in the direction of the absence of them by saying, it's not here yet. Where is it at? It. Why isn't it here yet? I deserve it. I've done the work I need, I need, I need. I don't have, I don't have expense appreciation is acknowledging what is inside of your basket right now, what is within your arms reach, what has one day in the past been a dream that you are now standing fully fulfilled with. What are the variables, the elements, the pieces of the pie that have come together in such a favorable way? What are the pieces that are so satisfying as you get to engage and interact with them all day, and now I've been challenged a few times, and sometimes I'm right, and most of the times I'm not, I'm kidding again. Please have a sense of humor, and one of the words, which I often debate with others, is the distinction between appreciation and gratitude. Gratitude is an awesome word, like we give it away. We give it at the end of our meal. We give gratuity because we're grateful for what they have done. Often, gratitude points about how far you've come and what is no longer present, I find that there is more purity of spirit, of heart, of mind, of body and emotion, in appreciation for what it is, for An understanding of its beauty, the relationship to what we prefer, and so there is power in having a practice of appreciation. We will each discover that practice on our own. Some hints the quiet moments of your morning and the quiet moments of your day, set aside some time and just sit and think of a few things, a list of things, maybe the top 10 things that you can appreciate. And sometimes it'll be a stretch, but even those moments, I feel you can find some. So look around your office, notice the phone, notice the journey it took to get that and appreciate who you must have become in order to achieve that. Appreciate the highs, appreciate the lows as they mold you into the person that you are right now. Appreciate the situations that you've put yourself in to acquire the Bank of equity that you're able to draw from without ever even considering that the work has been put in. It's so accessible right now. It's so second nature. So all of those second nature. Things take some time and appreciate those and then, like I said, it could be a list, list you only keep in your mind, the list that you write in Evernote, a risk list that you write in your journal, a list that you say aloud and let evaporate with each moment in gas of air that leaves your breath. It doesn't have to be rigorous or methodical. It's a process that you can practice in the comfort of your own mind, in the comfort of your own heart, and the power of it isn't to be extracted the next day, the next month, the next year. It's an environment that we cultivate and curate, and over time, we end up cultivating a momentum that is incapable of being slowed down or stopped, because we remember that even if we fall off of our proverbial wagon, even if we slip and stumble, we have built equity. And equity begins today. Equity begins building right now. And the sooner that we begin to amass the inner capital of appreciation, it is always within arm's reach. And so that's basically why I love appreciation. It's infectious. It spreads your smile. Lives beyond you. It precedes you, opens doors for you, and sometimes it might surprise you and delight you. So until next time, my name is Raheem Russell, make sure you go online, subscribe, rate or review, it until next time. Appreciate a bit peace. You.