The Art of Appreciation: The Bucket Fillers

Several years ago I was feeling a bit down while working at my job at the United Church of God home office and asked God privately to encourage me. Wow, did He answer that prayer quickly!

Later that very day, some wives of men on the Church's Council of Elders walked in and handed me and other ladies working in the office beautiful gift bags with several nice gifts in them. Each had a couple of little tea bags, some cookies, a little planner and a handmade bookmark and card.

On the front of this pretty gift bag was the scripture 1 Corinthians 15:58, which says it all when it comes to how God feels about us. Not only were my spirits lifted, but so were those of all the ladies in the office.

Everyone wants and needs to be appreciated, no matter where we work or what we do in life. Aside from the paycheck that most of us receive, we all need to know that our contribution in life is appreciated. Our "buckets" need to be filled emotionally.

Not long before, I had read the book How Full Is Your Bucket? by Tom Rath and Don Clifford (2004). Its premise is that emotionally we all metaphorically have buckets that need to be filled. These buckets are constantly being either emptied or filled, depending on what others say or do to us. When our buckets are full, we feel great. When they're empty, we feel awful.

Each of us is also figuratively equipped with a "dipper" in our relations with others. When we use the dipper to fill other people's buckets—by saying or doing things to increase their positive emotions—we also fill our own bucket. But when we use the dipper to dip from others' buckets—by saying or doing things that decrease their positive emotions—we diminish ourselves.

Like the "cup that runneth over," a full bucket gives us a positive outlook and renewed energy. Every drop in that bucket makes us stronger and more optimistic. But an empty bucket poisons our outlook, saps our energy and undermines our will. That's why every time someone dips from our bucket, it hurts us.

The book also talks about why people leave their jobs. The number one reason is that they don't feel appreciated. About 65 percent of Americans receive no recognition at all on their jobs. That is astounding and sad!

So we face a choice every moment of every day: We can fill one another's buckets or we can dip from them. It's an important choice—one that profoundly influences our relationships, productivity, health and happiness.

I thought of this book when the elders' wives went around to the ladies in the office and filled our buckets with appreciation. The scripture they placed on the bag also reminded me of how much God is a bucket-filler too! It reads: "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:58, New International Version).

We all need to practice filling one another's buckets with appreciation and kindness, no matter where we work, what we do, or whom we come in contact with. It makes a huge difference for others as well as for us!