By Jay Forte, Humanetrics LLC

This week is my anniversary – a celebration of finding the most incredible person among the 7 billion people on the planet, and choosing to build a life together.

So for me, it is a week of more celebrations – and I mean “more” because since the moment we met, we have committed to celebrating life – daily. We know life is as we make it. We believe we have both the ability and responsibility to invent our lives – it is our choice how excited, fired up and passionate we live. So we choose large. We choose exceptional. And this starts first with appreciation; this starts by appreciating each other and our world.

This week, I ask you to join me in using the phrase have I told you how much I appreciate you? with the people in your life. A simple phrase that reminds us to value, honor and acknowledge the greatness we see in others. This reminds us that what we need to live in the most extraordinary way is generally found in the connection to the people in our lives.

Make this a celebration week of the people in your life. Consider completing the phrase, “Have I told you how much I appreciate you…” with the following (or, add your own):

*For the ways you encourage me to be something better than I think I can be.

*For the way your smile can remind me I have everything I need – in you.

*For the way you give me courage to face today on today’s terms, even though I feel like hiding and keeping my head under the covers.

*For the things of beauty you add to my day.

*For your humor, love, sincerity and honesty.

*For pulling me up – to a higher lever of awareness, consciousness and understanding of life.

*For making the best food on the planet.

*For watching out for me when I get too busy to do it for myself.

*For letting me screw up and not rubbing my nose in it, and forgiving me for it.

*For knowing what to say and when to say it, to remind me I am always supported and loved.

*For giving me a hug when it was exactly what I needed.

*For greeting me every morning with “Happy Anniversary” because every day is an anniversary of choosing to be together.

*For making an “event” out of the little things to make them great things.

*For driving me to, showing up at, and cheering me on in my activities, sports or hobbies.

*For insisting that I have the best, then serving yourself.

*For waiting patiently for me to make my point and allowing me to say what is on my mind – even if we disagree.

*For saying ‘no’ to something you want so I can say ‘yes’ to something I want, and never bringing it up.

*For always doing your best – at everything.

*For choosing me to go through life with you.

Who says people can’t stay together or stay connected. The challenge happens because we forget to say thank you. We forget to appreciate. When great things done for us are unappreciated, they stop. When they stop, we drift apart; we don’t feel valuable or special.

Appreciation is the glue that keeps us together. We try never to miss an opportunity to notice each other’s greatness and appreciate it. It helps us stay connected in a very disconnected world. It helps us each feel valued, respected and important. And when you feel valued, respected and important, there is really nothing that can take you down or break you apart.

So make today the first day of your year of appreciative living. Then next year, on this date (your appreciative anniversary), commit to another year…and another. Soon, appreciative living will become your standard. And it all starts with “Have I told you how much I appreciate you for….?”