NOTE: The below is an except from The Best Valentine’s Day and Everyday Gifts You Can Give — originally published on the Whole Foods Market Blog.

The best gifts you can give your co-workers, spouse, parents, kids or the coffee barista who gives great service are your acknowledgment and gratitude! Watch their faces light up, see them be moved to tears by your simple expression of praise and appreciation and even witness them perform better and stay longer in their jobs. These “gifts” are simple, cheap and constantly available to you to give to those who deserve them. Yet most of us don’t do this! So we need reminders.

Kids don’t have the social barriers to acknowledging people that adults do. Starting a tradition of gratefulness and appreciation early makes kids happier, which very naturally makes them go from great kids to grateful leaders when they reach the workplace! Once you share this very real “super power” with them, they start practicing it immediately.

Here’s how you can make gratitude and acknowledgment a part of your Valentine’s Day and the rest of your life:

1. Discuss the 5 C’s of Acknowledgment with your families, teachers, co-workers, teams, classes and scout troops.

2. Deliver acknowledgments in a heartfelt and sincere way every time you see the opportunity – no excuses!

3. Keep a gratitude journal – write what you’re grateful for every day. Some studies show that people who do this are happier and more peaceful.

BONUS: Tell us how your family plans to practice gratitude and acknowledgment this Valentine’s Day and throughout the year. Five random commenters will win a copy of my book, You’re Totally Awesome! The Power of Acknowledgment for Kids.

PLUS, readers of this blog post are welcome to a 20% discount on all 3 books from Judy by using the code Grateful2014 on the Grateful Leadership website. 

Judith recently interviewed Whole Foods Market’s CEO Walter Robb and Nona Evans the President and Executive Director of Whole Kids Foundation on how they practice grateful leadership.Take a look.

READ THE POST ON THE WHOLE FOODS BLOG