All too often, we think of our assets in terms of money, houses, cars, computers, etc. However, these things only are a small part of your asset portfolio. Most of us have human assets that are more valuable then any of those that are object oriented. So who are your human assets?

They might be:

1. Spouse or significant other
2. Siblings
3. Employees
4. Friends
5. Parents
6. Kids
7. Casual acquaintances
8. Neighbors
9. Teachers
10. Enemies

The benefits of human assets

Human assets provide benefits to our lives in so many ways its difficult to name them all. They may provide encouragement when we’re at wits end trying to solve a problem. They may assist us in achieving our dreams. They may help us remember what it’s like to have fun (kids are great for this one). They may provide financial support. They may teach us how to perform a task or enlarge our view of the world around us. They may put their arm around us or hold our hand when we’re going through a hardship. They may help us accomplish a goal. They may love us. They may listen patiently while we vent about how vile and heinous life is. And they may point out our faults (enemies are great for this one because they don’t like us anyway so they don’t care about protecting a friendship and so don’t care what we think).

Impersonal human assets

Then there are the human assets that help us on a less personal basis. Consider what life would be like without the farmer and rancher that provide the food in our grocery store. Or, the person who hauls out our stinking garbage every week. Or, the people who scrape the snow or sand the streets in the winter. Or, the person who climbs a pole to restore power when it’s out. Or, the cop that shows up at you accident and helps save our life. Or, the paramedics that race us to the hospital if we are injured or have a medical emergency. It’s true that these tasks are jobs and therefore people are paid to do them, but where would our society be if there was no one to do those jobs. These people are the assets that keep things running smoothly in our day-to-day lives. We need them and should show appreciation any way we can for their service. As for their pay, how else do you propose they feed themselves and their families?

The ugly game

All too often, we humans forget just how enormous an asset other people are in our lives. Unfortunately, some people never really get it. So let’s all play an ugly game.

Stop for a minute and think of someone you really care about and visualize that person suddenly snatched out of your life. People stare this ugliness all the time, but don’t think about it until it’s too late. If you spend just a minute in this painful exercise periodically, how do you think you would treat the most important people in your life?

Now stop and think what life would be like without the garbage man, street cleaner, paramedic, and other people we never give much thought. How well do you think our society would fare without them?

Too busy

Okay, I know you’re busy. So am I. However, it’s important that you don’t allow yourself to get too busy to show your appreciation. The question is how can you show your appreciation without it occupying 100% of your time? If it’s a loved one, it’s easy. Take the time to listen and really care for that person and I don’t mean during the commercials of your favorite sitcom or ball game. Remember to say thank you and mean it. Remember to give the person a hug or a pat on the back and mean it. If you don’t, someday it will be too late. The less personal human assets pose somewhat of a problem. If you do happen to see a road truck, stop and tell the workers how much you appreciate their efforts. Send an email or a card to the office where it will be posted on a bulletin board for all to see. Be creative. Send your enemy an email and thank him or her for pointing out something about yourself that needs improvement (Think about the shock effect.)

Think how much better the world would be if we all did this. There would be fewer divorces, less juvenile delinquencies, more friends, and a lot less hate. I do these things, but I am only one person. Visualize what a difference it would make if 10,000 of you joined me.

Oh, and by the way, I appreciate each of you readers and I want to take this time to thank you for all your comments.