The standard definition of appreciation is “the recognition and enjoyment of the good qualities in someone or something, or gratitude for something.” When referring to finances, the term appreciation means “an increase in monetary value to property or another asset.”
The two definitions are more closely related than you might think.
When you invest your money in something, you are hoping for an increase in its value over time. No one wants to invest their money only to lose it, right? So, you do the necessary research, spend your time and resources, all with the expectation that your investment will grow.
The same hope goes for other areas of your life as well.
Have you ever truly taken the time to reflect on the things in your life that matter most to you? Maybe it’s your family, your community, your job, or your hobbies–whatever it is that you hold important and place the highest value on. Have you considered what effort and investments you are putting into those assets to ensure that they will appreciate in value as well and will grow in the future?
It is all too easy to get caught up in “scarcity thinking” and focus on what you are lacking in life (time, money, energy). This pushes thoughts to the negative which can become quite consuming and counterproductive.
If you hold to the belief that “what you focus on grows” and make a conscious decision to shift your mindset to more positive thinking, it can completely change the way you look at things and how you experience life.
While this can be a difficult transition to make and is an ongoing practice, you can begin by internally asking a few simple questions. Rather than thinking about what is going wrong, ask yourself what is going right. If you intentionally take note of the right things, you will naturally begin to see the good.
In her book, The Soul of Money: Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Life, Lynne Twist teaches that the same applies to our financial situations. If we are continually thinking about what is missing, waiting on more, then there will never be enough. She says that the solution is as simple as appreciation. If we make a conscious decision and are intentional with the way we think and feel about money, then “in the light of appreciation, your prosperity grows.” At the end of the day, if you appreciate what you already have, the value of what you already have will appreciate.