“Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity.”
~ Simone Weil
Let me offer an appreciation rant.
Not the loud, fist-pumping kind. The quieter kind. The kind that notices the people who weren’t always directly tied to outcomes or deliverables, but who made the year easier.
The Kind of Appreciation we often miss
As this year winds down, I find myself less interested in metrics and milestones and more curious about something else entirely.
Who reduced friction?
Who brought steadiness when things felt uncertain?
Who made it easier to show up, speak up, or keep going?
Beyond Recognition
We often save recognition for big wins and visible achievements. Yet ease rarely comes from these gestures. Ease comes from who people are, not just what they do. It usually comes from people who quietly change how it feels to be in the room.
The ones who break tension with well-timed humour.
The ones who say the hard thing with care and get the conversation moving again.
The ones who ask for help early, not out of doubt, but out of commitment to the team.
Ease is underrated. So are the people who create it.
Where Ease Became Visible
I was reminded of this vividly on the Camino this year. Walking day after day with a cohort of people, you start to notice the many ways ease shows up, often through small, steady acts that have little to do with speed or stamina. A few moments stand out.
There was Geoff, the shepherd. Always watchful. Always willing to backtrack on the trickier stretches to find sheep who had wandered off or were close to losing their way. No fuss. Just quiet responsibility. The kind that says, “Everyone matters.”
Then there was Marg and Lorinda, our unofficial and highly capable medical team. Between them, they carried what felt like a Mary Poppins–level first-aid kit. Blisters, strains, mysterious aches that appeared out of nowhere, they had both the tools and the calm to deal with them. You could feel tension ease simply knowing they were nearby.
They didn’t shorten the walk.
They made it feel safer.
Ease at Work
I’ve seen this same dynamic show up again and again in work and teams.
The colleague who quietly creates opportunities for others and steps back.
The unofficial mentor who checks in, offers perspective, and helps you think more clearly.
The person who notices who hasn’t spoken yet and makes space for them.
The teammate who holds the whole system in mind and ensures people feel included and considered.
This is appreciation beyond performance. It’s appreciation for who someone is, not just what they deliver.
A Year-End Pause
At year-end, it’s easy to focus on outcomes. But I wonder what shifts when we also acknowledge the people who made the year more navigable. The ones who reduced emotional drag. The ones who helped us stay human when things felt messy or uncertain.
If you pause for a moment, a few names likely come to mind.
Not that they were the loudest.
But because things felt easier when they were around.
As the year closes, appreciation doesn’t need to be another task on the list. It can start with noticing.
Who made this year easier for you?
And what might it sound like to tell them why?
Sometimes appreciation doesn’t need perfect words.
It just needs to be voiced.
As the year winds down, I hope you find moments of ease, connection, and a few opportunities to let people know they made things easier for you this year.
