(Author Unknown)

Don’t bother getting a pen and paper… just read… if you can’t answer, just move on to the next question.

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America contest.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer prize.
5. Name the last five Academy Award winners for Best Actor and Actress.

How did you do? The point is, none of us remembers the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They’re the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Now here’s another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. Name three teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worth while.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

Easier? The lesson? The people who make a difference in your life aren’t the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They’re the ones who care.

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Sometimes I find myself focused on all the wrong things around me. I think about all the things I need to get done. I think about the things I would like to do if I had more time in my day. I think about bills that need to be paid. I try to brainstorm a better way to find balance between my family life and my work life. I follow the current news and entertainment. I become so focused on everything that is loud and drawing my attention, that I am blinded to all the blessings (big and small) that are around me: The good friend. The teacher. The caring heart. The smile. The door being held for me. We spend a lot of time in this world feeling like we, ourselves, are unappreciated. However, what steps do we take to show others that we are thankful for them? Sometimes those steps are just too small that no one even really saw that we moved in their direction at all.

According to the Collins English Dictionary, the definition of appreciation is “the assessment of the true worth or value of a person.” How do you even assess someone’s true worth? I don’t even know if there is an answer to that. However, I’m guessing that it probably begins by taking my eyes off myself. It involves looking at the people around me. Who is the dedicated worker that is willing to help fix mistakes I make? Who is the one who pours their heart and soul into organizing group events so that others might feel a little appreciation themselves? Who is the one who offers to buy me a cup of coffee because I look like I could use someone to listen? Who is the one who picks up my stray wrapper that I dropped out of my car? Who is the one who is always ready with a smile and helps me find a positive spin on things when all I see is the negative? Who is the one who leaves a sweet treat on my desk because they know I could really use it? Who is the one who will say yes to any favor I ask of them, before they even know what I am asking, and I know they will always be there when I need someone? Those people are all around me. And even though I might see them everyday, too many days go by without my letting them know that I notice them.

As part of my goal with these blogs, I hope to push myself (and any readers) to not only think and reflect more, to put passion behind my beliefs, and to live life to the fullest, but to do all of these with the spirit of growth supporting my efforts (and yours!). Therefore, I throw down the gauntlet.

Challenge #1: Let someone this week know how much you appreciate them. Look back at the second quiz from above. Choose 1 person from each of the five questions to contact in the next week. With this challenge, there is more than meets the eye. However, successful completion of the challenge may just transform your frame of mind. First we must take the time to reflect on how others affect our lives, then we must appreciate their contributions, and finally, muster up enough courage to actually relay our appreciation to them in a way they will feel it. We might also have a hard time finding some of these individuals. However, even if you cannot locate them, take the time and energy to write them a letter. Even if it is never delivered, only good can come from your writings.

The gauntlet is thrown. Will you pick it up?