ACTIVITY 6 : Signs of appreciation
Every person is constantly looking for signs of recognition because they are vital.
But what exactly is a sign of recognition?
It’s all the little things we give or receive every day that say “you exist, I see you, and this is what I think of you”.
There are positive and negative ones :
- Hello sir, how are you ? Thank you. Have a nice day.
- You look particularly radiant today !
- I thought you spoke well !
- We haven’t seen each other for a long time, I miss it. Shall we have a bite to eat together sometime ?
- Hahaha he’s so stupid ! Please stop talking…
- I’m fed up, you never replace the milk carton when you finish one !
- Yes, we know that. You are a miserable little man, poor Calimero !
- Sir, there was someone before you. Would you please wait your turn ?
Did you know that several experiments have shown that people prefer to receive negative signs of recognition, rather than no recognition at all ? It reassures them that they are important, that they exist in the eyes of others, and not that they are insignificant.
Imagine if I walked into the room and said “Oh you smell good, I like your perfume !” Immediately, you will be pleased and feel confident. It is possible that with this simple sign of recognition, the rest of your day will be pleasant because it will have started on the right foot, in confidence in who you are.
So don’t hesitate to give it. Why deprive yourself of it, when you see the well-being it brings?
By the way, why don’t we write nice things to each other ? Simple, but nice …
Write a compliment to each person on a post-it and put it in their place