The value lies in the appreciation. One of the most controversial questions I ask in my live keynote presentations is “Can money buy happiness?” Audience members almost always have sharply divided views on this. In the end, money, time, effort all buy us happiness only to the extent that we really appreciate what they bring. For instance, buy a big, shiny, new SUV and feel great. Drive it as if it was just another car we’ve owned - as most of do a few months later — and it ceases to bring happiness (even though we continue to slave to make the money to pay the car loan!)

Appreciation is like listening. We can listen without really hearing and we can appreciate without really getting value. You may have heard of the difference between passive and active listening (most people are not too good at active listening). It is just as important to actively appreciate. It is the “active” that brings us value. That’s what we mean by “count your blessings”. We’ll consider some ideas for active appreciation in section four below.

There is so much we can do to appreciate … to ensure that we get value for what we put into life. Do you see the glass as half full or half empty, … or do you revel in a glass that always seems to be full or even overflowing?

Reserve five minutes each day to walk around your house and pick two or three things you take for granted — the carpet, soap, a spice rack, a pencil — and really appreciate it. Close your eyes. Think about how you use the object, how you benefit, how life would be different without it.

There are two possible benefits to this tip. First, by focusing on how this object makes your life better, you appreciate it more � you count your blessings. The pencil may add utility to your life, regardless. But only in recognizing that utility can it bring you satisfaction and value.

Second, you may recognize that the object brings you no benefit … that it is just taking space and collecting dust and that you really should be giving it the ol’ heave ho! (Getting rid of “clutter” has the added benefit that it lets you focus your appreciation on the items that really can bring you happiness).