The Neuroscience of Appreciation
This is serious stuff.

Appreciation isn’t just polite. It’s powerful.

When we express genuine appreciation, our brain releases oxytocin (the “connection hormone”), dopamine (the “feel-good” motivator), and serotonin (a stabilizer that helps with mood and self-esteem). These chemicals don’t just benefit the receiver — they uplift the giver. That means when you offer appreciation, you’re literally strengthening your own well-being and resilience. It’s like a mini-nervous system hug for both people involved.

Now, flip the script.

The absence of appreciation … especially over time … lights up the same brain region that registers physical pain: the anterior cingulate cortex.

OMG OMG OMG!!!!!!-------READ THAT AGAIN!!!!

This can make a person feel ignored, excluded, even emotionally injured. In fact, a chronic lack of acknowledgment can lead to stress, burnout, and withdrawal. That’s why appreciation matters. Not just as a social nicety, but as a neurobiological need. Your nervous system wasn’t designed to thrive on silence. It’s wired for resonance.

I wish for:

PURPLE MEDALS for all the COURAGEOUS people who are doing hard things.

Not just in the outer world, but deep inside, too.

Healing.

Thriving.

And everything in between.

IT TAKES BIG COURAGE!

Big love to ALL!

Debbie Happy Cohen

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