Little things Matter

America, where are your Manners?  The Power of Encouragement. The Gift that keeps on giving.

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” — Maya Angelou

Life always has ways to show us great examples of encouragement. A father and his daughter were taking a stroll and talking while enjoying some fresh air. I saw the father turn to his daughter and I heard him say "I bet you, I can beat you to that sign!" Then, the father took off running. I could hear the daughter say, "Dad, I can't! Please come back." The father, pausing for just a moment, turned around and said, "Come on, you can do it!" He reached out his hand to indicate to her "I believe in you and I am here to help you." Suddenly, the daughter took off running and caught up with her dad. Those encouraging words, "Come on, you can do it" gave the little girl the push she needed to catch up with her dad. Observing them taught me an important lesson, sometimes you just need a little push and someone to say, "Come on, you can do it" to get the job done. The Power of Encouragement is the gift that keeps on giving.

How many times in your life do you need an extra boost of encouragement? Let’s keep it real, life can really SUCK sometimes. When life is challenging, encouraging words like, "You can do it," "Keep pushing," and "Way to go," just aren’t enough to inspire us to move forward. Instead, we all need someone, like the father in the story, to turn around, reach out their hand and remind us of the light that you bring in the world. Sometimes we must change the way we encourage people. It's one thing to tell someone that they are "capable of doing something," but when you can provide them with an extended hand or you can give them an example of a time when something was difficult, and they found the solution to the problem, it gives them that extra boost of energy that they need. Reminding people of a time that they were the problem solver, a listening ear or a smiling face that encouraged someone else can pull them out of a dark space and re-new their mind and breathe life, just like a pair of jumper cables to a dead battery!

It's important that we invest in people daily. You never know what someone is going through and by simply saying to them, "I'm proud of you" for “xyz” and backing those words with actions like an embracing hug, a high-five or a celebratory dance, reminds them that someone sees their hard work and efforts. Taking the time to send someone a handwritten note lets them know that you care. You care about their goals, future endeavors, and new discovered abilities, which impacts their life and empowers them to move forward. Sometimes we need that crashing “Punch” of the Kool- Aid man to break down our emotional walls. It gives us that extra boost that we need, but it also passes on the gift of encouragement that just keeps giving. When you strengthen someone with your positive encouragement they turn around and give that positive light to someone.

This might sound a little old-school, but in a world of text messages, meme’s, e-mails and facetime, how many times have you passed an encouraging card in the store and thought about sending it to a friend or family member? I know, I know, you’re thinking…Ummm??? Patricia, I could send it faster if I just used some form of technology, Right! I’m not here to be the technology police because I love getting an e-gift card in my email box, but it is so much more meaningful and thoughtful when you purchase a card, write a few words, walk to the mailbox and place your personalized card to be sent out. It sends a strong statement to the person on the receiving end. You are telling that person that I want to invest time in you and I also want you to know that you are special. If you are anything like me, I love getting personalized mail from someone who is important to me because it shows that they care. By the way, does anyone know the price of a stamp? I don’t think we know anymore! Ha, Ha, Ha!

In closing, make the commitment today to encourage others and let them know that you care about them. Don't forget to do it in both actions and words. If you have a friend who is looking to start a business, find a way to support them by investing in their business or by simply buying their product. Don't look for the hook up! Show them that you believe in them by investing your money. If life is super busy and you are missing the company of the people you love the most, take some time to stop and write them a small note to let them know that you love them and you are proud of them just for being the best person they can be. Don’t let life get in the way of encouraging the people you love. Let the people you whole heartily care for know that you want the best for them. Last, but not least, look in the mirror and daily tell that person you see that you are proud of them. “The right word at the right time is like precious gold set in silver.”- Proverbs 25:11(CEV)