WHAT GETS APPRECIATED GETS REPEATED
“Being told we are appreciated is one of the simplest and most uplifting things you can hear.”
It is indeed human beings’ basic emotional need to feel acknowledged and appreciated by the society around them. Typically speaking, appreciation can be an important motivational factor that pushes individuals to contribute more towards their work, roles and to the cause, they are working for. Even from our childhood, we have been motivated to continue certain behaviors by giving positive reinforcements through appreciation.
The human society is diverse and has several multi-lateral strengths as well as challenges working herein. While there are features of solidarity, sensitivity and willingness to prosper present, there are also several challenges in the form of deprivation, inequality, violence and inability to access basic rights and facilities to survive respectfully in society. Seeing such challenges drives many individuals to work towards bringing the much needed change to create more equitable and diverse opportunities for all, entrepreneurship initiatives and also, to spread awareness and sensitise society about burning topics and societal concerns. Such initiatives can be multi-dimensional and can also be taken up in different directions- right from education to livelihood, entrepreneurship, from women’s rights to child’s right to elderly rights, from fighting social evils like racism, homophobia and also to create awareness and practical changes in realms of current issues like mental health and climate change.
To start an initiative that aims at changing the existing realities of the surroundings requires a lot of courage, commitment and efforts. There can be resistance and barriers faced in the journey of endeavours for an organisation and individual which can be societal, emotional and financial. In such times, appreciating the efforts put in would not only give an emotional support to the individuals and/or organisations but also motivate them to continue their efforts towards achieving their goal despite any hurdle they face. Appreciation and acknowledgement can be in many forms and can lead to value addition in several ways as well. For instance, verbal and written appreciation at personal level acts as a major emotional boost. Social appreciation not only adds on to the credibility and popularity of the work/ initiative, it can help to receive the much needed public acceptance and awareness which propels them towards more social and financial support for achieving the targets. Even as friends, colleagues, family, society members and responsible citizens, the least role we can play is to appreciate and motivate people who are courageous enough to think differently, and who aim to create a different scenario than what already exists.
The famous celebrities and artists whom we look up to like Ayushmann Khurana, Amitabh Bacchan, Justin Bieber, Zyan Mallik and BTS would not be what they are today if in their initial days, the people around them- friends, family and colleagues- had not supported them though acknowledgement of their talents and motivating them. Same goes for successful business platforms like PayTM, Google, Apple and Microsoft, all these were start-up business plans at some time, and along with motivational support from their partners and colleagues, given all their efforts and innovation, they could achieve the feat at which they are today.
The 21st century is a world of inter-connectedness, market relations and public relations, hence, it is imperative to create spaces and platforms wherein any such change-making and alternative creating initiatives can be acknowledged, introduced and appreciated. The best platform in contemporary times to do this is through social media platforms. Updeed serves this purpose to the T, which is exclusively a space to share and promote any intervention, innovation and initiative which aims at bringing a directed and specifically aimed change in the existing realities. It gives opportunity for users to share accounts and experiences where they feel some positive impact has been brought in the lives of the people and needs to be brought in the social eye. Users can acknowledge and appreciate stories shared by other users as well and connect professionally to collaborate on interventions in similar fields. The entire purpose of this platform was to create a positive space where change-drive, righteous people can be given the much-deserving exposure they need, the support they need through a community of like-minded people who extend their support to the dedicated cause through virtual interactions and contribute inter-personally to a cause or initiative. This has potential of bringing the best impact in the community of dedicated individuals who would not only be personally motivated to continue the positive work they are doing but would also inspire others to take up such change-directed engagement that can make the society a better place and also attain the aimed targets.
Voltaire has said, “Appreciation is an excellent thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us”.
While we promote a practice of mutual appreciation and co-existence, we give hope, support and motivation to those who have already ventured in the process of interventions and initiatives. But while doing so, even we come across the realities of the world which we were unaware about earlier. We can get to know the social issues existing and the possible solutions to them as well. We, being inspired from others, can take up our own initiatives to contribute our part in the solution of these issues or we can collaborate with the people/organisation that we had appreciated for their effective contributions. We also get to know about newer genres of innovation and can take up sustainable entrepreneurship ideas while connecting with others who have started their journey in similar ventures. We can see that a simple act of appreciation not only motivates one to walk on their journey but also inspires others to follow similar paths or join them in the same initiative. With like-minded, motivated individuals working towards making the world a better and positive place, we ourselves become better individuals and in the process contribute back to the world- starting from the simple act of appreciation and positive regards towards each other.
