“Deficiency motivation doesn’t work. It will lead to a lifelong pursuit of try to fix me. Learn to appreciate what you have and where and who you are.” ~ Wayne Dyer

    Have you ever tried having a day, when you do nothing… but a little bit of everything you love and appreciate? Productivity is the best way to show gratitude to all your life’s blessings.




    Do you count your complaints throughout the day or do you count your blessings? Spending the day focused towards productivity is the best way to appreciate oneself. Feed your soul with appreciation by giving it what you love.
    Appreciating yourself is honoring your soul. In order to live and grow, you have to nourish your spirit… no one else can do this for you. Once you begin appreciating yourself in a nourishing way, it produces a domino effect that will flow blessings into every other area of your life.




    First, make a list of everything you enjoy doing, e.g., exercising, spending time with family, reading, art, gardening, playing piano, networking, eating a nourishing meal, walking in the park, cleaning, or a work project (i.e. your hobbies and things you LIKE or need to do).
    Write down 10-20 things that you like to do- then spend 15-30 minutes doing each one throughout the day. Feed your soul with the positive things that give you a sense of peace and productivity. Don’t focus on the negative gripes, stress, and complaints that deplete your spirit. And, if you do happen to have a task that you do not like, either delegate that task to someone else or “just do it” and remove it from your “to do” list so you can move onto more exciting and fulfilling projects. Feed your mind with inspiration, creativity, education and strength by focusing on what gives you pleasure.
    How do you show appreciation to others? How do you show appreciation to yourself? Have you said, “I give myself a dish of ice cream as a reward once a week and a new pair of shoes once a month.” After rewarding yourself, do you return to the belly aching complaints till the next time you reward yourself? Why not try feeding your spirit every day?!




    Perhaps you are saying, “I don’t have time.” Sure, there may be one or two things on the list that you cannot do on a daily basis, but perhaps you could do those things once a week (a treat to look forward to).
    You’re the only one that can make adjustments to your schedule to produce a more productive day. No one is saying you have to operate your life by a schedule, unless of course, it works for you. This is a suggestion to remind yourself of what you are missing… the things that YOU appreciate.
    This isn’t your typical productive day… it is the ultimate productive day. Stop making the excuses that you don’t have time to appreciate the things you love to do.
    Now that you have your list, write it over again (if needed) on an index card, a piece of paper, or print it out on the computer. Next, place it in an area that you will see it every day- i.e., your desk, bathroom mirror, refrigerator, or by your computer.
    Revise your current schedule- (include work if you work, etc.) and make a new schedule that gives appreciation back to you. Only you can make that schedule. Feed your mind, body and soul with appreciation. Try it! You may like it!

“We tend to forget that happiness doesn’t come as a result of getting something we don’t have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.” ~ Frederick Keonig

Deanne P. Wells
Editor-in-Chief
South Texas Women's World