No matter what the phase of life—take care of your body
“I had attended several Memorial Services and Celebrations of Life and I was always touched by the beauty of the tributes —but even more so by the recognition that the person being honored was in a casket and never heard a word of it.” —Walter Green, Say It Now
“The deepest craving of a person is to feel appreciated.” This belief was frequently stated by James Joyce who is often referred to as the father of modern-day psychology. Well-being and vitality are no doubt enhanced when we offer appreciation to others as well as when we receive it ourselves.
Say It Now is a movement that began with Walter Green a former CEO living in San Diego. After attending many funerals he realized that the people who had departed would have benefited greatly from all the wonderful words being said. He then decided he would reach out to everyone who impacted his life. He bought a plane ticket and spent a year personally visiting all the people who positively impacted his life. Since it was a transformative experience for both himself and his friends/family he began to share the experience with as many people as he could. So began the Say It Now movement which is about changing how and when we express gratitude for the people who’ve meant so much in our lives, from too late to right now.
Now not later… isn’t always easy. For me, I have a tendency to put things off, thinking I will “do” it later or I will “tell” them later. I will also find myself “waiting for the perfect moment”. The truth I keep learning is that there are NO PERFECT moments. You actually have to take the moment and learn how to make it “your kind of perfect”.
This is why the “Say It Now Message” was something I appreciated hearing. Life is unpredictable and this idea that "It makes no sense to pay tributes to people when they can’t even hear them" resonated deeply with me.
As I have been integrating the importance of Say It Now into my life, I am keenly aware how it affects my own well-being. When I slow down and express my gratitude to friends and family I not only notice improvement with my own emotional well-being but I also feel more optimistic and connected.
Two Questions:
Is there someone who had/has a profound impact on your life and is still alive?
If something happened unexpectedly to that person, would you have regrets for things you wish you had said?
Honoring people who have impacted your life’s journey brings much meaning and much healing. When you take a moment to Say It Now you reinforce someone’s sense of worth and purpose. You also strengthen your relationship by creating a positive feedback loop of kindness and appreciation. That sounds like a good dose of well-being to me.
Say It Now might look like a text message, an email, a letter, a phone call, getting together one on one, or even gathering as a community to honor one person.
“It does not matter HOW, it matters NOW.” —Walter Green
Expressing gratitude (whether big or small) NOW eliminates the prospect of having regrets for things you “might” have said—and didn’t. You also get to build more empathetic, cohesive, and resilient communities, where individuals in your tribe feel more valued and motivated to continue their positive actions.
Isn’t this what our planet needs more of anyway?
Remember, it does not matter HOW…it matters NOW.
written by: Jennifer Reuter