I think of giving as one of my love languages, something I inherited from my mother. I love to give gifts that I think will be meaningful or enjoyed by the recipient. However, I have realized in recent months that while I love to give gifts, I am not good at giving less tangible forms of gifts like outwardly showing gratitude, being physically affectionate, and in Barney's case, offering praise for his accomplishments. I tend to somehow think that my feelings towards those I love are understood and need not be voiced, though of course this isn't true. I’m not sure when or how this trend started, but it’s not one of my best features. My goal for today is the first step in reversing this bad habit (even worse than my Q-tip addiction from last year!)
So, today my goal was to outwardly express my appreciation for Barney whenever possible. I tried to pay careful attention to the events of the day as they progressed, and when I noticed things done well, I worked to vocalize acknowledgement of those things. I congratulated him on his golf game, complimented him on his Ticket to Ride Strategy (this was made much easier for me because happily I managed vindication with a win today after two brutal losses yesterday), and even remarked on how well he was able to pack the car to fit everything in as we headed home. None of these were major accomplishments, but getting noticed for the little things can make a big difference. I hope that soon remarking on these types of things will become second nature to me rather than something that requires deliberate and conscientious forethought. I also hope to improve in this area of my life with all of the people whom I love and not just with Barney.
So, today my goal was to outwardly express my appreciation for Barney whenever possible. I tried to pay careful attention to the events of the day as they progressed, and when I noticed things done well, I worked to vocalize acknowledgement of those things. I congratulated him on his golf game, complimented him on his Ticket to Ride Strategy (this was made much easier for me because happily I managed vindication with a win today after two brutal losses yesterday), and even remarked on how well he was able to pack the car to fit everything in as we headed home. None of these were major accomplishments, but getting noticed for the little things can make a big difference. I hope that soon remarking on these types of things will become second nature to me rather than something that requires deliberate and conscientious forethought. I also hope to improve in this area of my life with all of the people whom I love and not just with Barney.
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