This spring I declared into existence The Appreciation Project. Its purpose is to increase the total quantity of appreciation in the world. Just for the fun of it.

I’d like to tell you how the project got started. It grew from a simple observation - that appreciation doesn’t exist until you express it. Merely to feel appreciative doesn’t add to the world’s stock of appreciation. You have to communicate your appreciation for it to have an effect.

I remember my first appreciation experiment. I wanted to observe how being appreciated affected me. First I found a private place where no one could see what I was up to. Then I picked a part of me that doesn’t get much attention and I told it - out loud - how much I appreciated it.

I chose the fourth finger on my right hand. It’s been there for over 50 years, but it had probably never received any appreciation at all. As I gazed into my right palm and moved my attention to my ring finger, I said something like this:

“I appreciate you for everything you do for me. For the countless L’s and O’s and P’s you’ve typed for me over the years. For helping me play beautiful music on the piano and the clarinet. For always being there when I need to pick something up. For helping me lug my computer case everywhere I go. You’re amazing, so delicate yet so powerful. Thank you for all you do for me.”

I felt pretty silly. But I also felt a change in my body. My right ring finger began to tingle slightly. I felt it relax and uncurl. Then I felt a gentle lengthening move up my arm and down my side into my right leg. It was amazing!

(I just paused in writing this column to try it again, and got a similar result.)

I invite you, give yourself permission to feel a bit foolish and try this yourself. Your results may vary, but here’s what I think you’ll find. When you move your attention to a part of yourself, and express real appreciation to that part, your body notices. It responds. You’ll experience for yourself that appreciation is a gentle force, but a powerful one.

You have the power at this moment to add to the total quantity of appreciation in the world. Isn’t that a delightful possibility? Take a moment and see what you can appreciate about yourself at this moment.

Next time I’ll tell you about the first time I set out to generate appreciation in others.