If I were a super-hero, the super power I would want is to be able to make people believe in themselves!

I’d just waive my magic wand, zip-zap-zoom, and your self-belief touches the sky!

Then, its impossible to feel sad, alone or jealous for more than 30 seconds.

Then, taking up challenges and breaking comfort zones comes naturally.

Then, not taking myself or my loved ones for granted is instinctual.

Then, always dialogue and never argument is the standard fare.

Then, making a difference wherever I go becomes my drive.

Well, as you must expect by now from us, we found the magical brew, the elixir, the spell to be cast! In the Prisoner of Azkaban, the words ‘Expecto Patronum!’ are used to incarnate one's innermost positive feelings - joy, confidence, courage, etc. This force can be used to drive away the ‘dementors' - creatures that have the ability to amplify the deep fear and negativity that lies within the psyche of their poor subjects.

So, let me hand it to you.

What we need to do is to become detectives. We need hunt them down and catch them red handed. But, we need to catch them doing something GOOD!

Even if 9 things they do are not good, my work is to be sharp enough to find that one thing they they did GOOD.

Every heart craves for validation. Appreciation is an art. When done right, appreciation has the power to transform the way people see themselves. They will want to repeat the behaviours they have been appreciated for. They start believing that they are actually GOOD! Soon there will be two things they did good, and three, and then four!

And to make it powerful, here is the EPIC formula to become a power-appreciator!

E - appreciate EFFORTS not results. Results are not 100% in my control, but efforts always are.

P - be PRECISE, give examples of the desired behaviour, so that they know what to repeat!

I - give them an INSIGHT into their own greatness, make them see their own GOODNESS.

C - appreciate with CELEBRATIONS, a smile, a warm hug and in my case good food will always help!

Want more? Here are 16 power appreciation statements. Use them as templates to get you on the fast-track to becoming an appreciation super-hero!

1. You put in superb efforts towards ___________________________.

2. Even when _____________________________, you never gave up!

3. In spite of _________________________, you kept a positive attitude!

4. You have really made some improvement on ________________.

5. I loved the way you found a solution for __________________ by _____________________.

6. I loved the way you took responsibility for____________________.

7. I’m really enjoying the way you are ______________________________.

8. I admire _______________________ about you.

9. You really handled that situation well because you ________________.

10. It was brave of you to __________________.

11. I love that you were so alert the other day when __________________.

12. That day, you did a great job of helping ________________ with _____________________.

13. Because you ______________ I feel I can now trust you more with _______________.

14. I can tell you tried your best to _________________ because _________________.

15. You remembered to ______________________________. That’s brilliant!

16. I’m so proud that you made the choice to ____________________________.

Now go get out there and zip-zap-zoom a few people today!