I just got a new iPhone, which turns out comes with 3 months of Apple TV for free. I don’t watch that much TV at the moment so I’m trying to limit the number of streaming services I subscribe to. But it’s very hard to turn down free.

Which of course means I’ve started watching Ted Lasso.

It’s fabulous … and I think my favourite thing about it is how often Ted Lasso (the main character, as you may have guessed) tells people that he appreciates them. It’s a beautiful thing.

Appreciation is a gift that you can give for free, and that can make a huge difference. There are a few others:

Belief. I believe in you … you’ve got this.
Trust. I trust you … do whatever you think is best.
Forgiveness. I forgive you … we’re good.
Gratitude. Thank you … it means a lot.
Love. I love you … you’re in my heart.

All six of these gifts can be a decision you make rather than a report on your emotional state. You can choose to trust, to forgive, to love.

And you can choose to give yourself any of these. Or all of them.