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encouragement

Discover Your Biggest Superpower! Encouragement!

Utilize your biggest superpower! Let’s help our kids, friends, parents, neighbors, & strangers by giving them encouragement. A little bit goes a LONG way.

“I can live for two months on a good compliment.”

                                                                                       – Mark Twain

In our “selfie” society, it’s so easy to forget to cheer on the people we love the most. My friend Laurie who I’ve only known a year (but feels like a decade), has given me a fresh outlook on life, helped me grow up and believed in me on days when I didn’t believe in myself. She chose to use her biggest superpower – the power to encourage!

Sadly, there are times in life when someone is bragging just to make others jealous, hurt or feel left out. However, there are many times we just want to celebrate with friends when good news comes our way. A childhood friend recently told me that when she got promoted at work, all of her friends who encouraged her to apply for the job, got extremely jealous when she was chosen for the promotion. They asked her how she was qualified for that position, instead of congratulating her. My heart broke. We can all remember a time when we just wanted others to be happy for us but instead all we got was resentment.

Encouragement comes in many different forms. It could be words of affirmation, mentoring someone or even tough love. I’m reading a great book right now that has been a major eye-opener called, Avoiding the Trap of Being Offended. Author Kenneth Hagin explains, “When I see someone who’s successful in his or her respective field, I don’t try to make trouble for that person (be jealous). Instead, I want to learn from that person.”

You know you’ve found a friend for life if they can be genuinely happy for you when good things come your way and give you truth in love when you need a kick in the pants. Encouragement is so needed in our primarily negative culture today. We can excel beyond our expectations just by knowing we have friends by our side throughout the journey. Encourage your kids, your spouse the neighbor across the street. Several words or a simple hug can change the course of someone’s life.

encouragementA great movie I recently saw that exemplified encouragement was McFarland USA. This is a prime example of one man believing in his students so much that they achieved more in life than any of their previous generations. The stunning amount of state competitions won underscore the power of encouragement. To this day, track coach Jim White still lives in McFarland and daily witnesses how his positive words changed a community.

What a different world it would be if we all helped each other achieve our dreams by using our talents to collaborate with each other. It’s a win – win! Every one of us is going to fail at times and the inspiration and reassurance from others is what will help us keep pressing on.

According to 168Opportunities.com, blogger Peder Aadahl states, “Just imagine the opportunities that may come from you encouraging someone.” One of the most common things teens tell me is that they want others to believe they can do great things. If we tell teens we believe in them and guide them along the way, they will achieve more than we could ever imagine.

One of the things I’m learning right now, is that I must strive to give to others never expecting anything in return. Encourage those that might not motivate me. Include those that might not remember me. Pray for my enemies. A work in progress to say the least.

As the following video shows us, all it takes is ONE PERSON to show love for another person to change this whole “selfie” world around us! LET’S ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER. We never know when our journey will end…

[youtube id=”PT-HBl2TVtI”]

Question: What are some ways you’ve encouraged others? Share your answer by clicking here.

 

2 Comments
  • Lisa
    Posted at 06:37h, 27 March Reply

    Thank you for your post. I always enjoy reading your heartfelt messages (even if it takes a while to get to it). I feel like you are talking to me and encouraging me to be a better mom for my kiddos. I know my children have a real chance of changing the world they live in for the better. It is my goal each day to encourage them in the love and admonition of the Lord to be a light to their world. We pray for you & your family often. Thank you.

    • Tina
      Posted at 08:23h, 27 March Reply

      Lisa!

      You’ve just encouraged me with your comment! So many times I write and wonder if anyone is reading the posts or if they help in any way! So glad they do and you’ve been a major support in what I’ve been doing for years! The way you raise your kids has helped me out in so many ways in how we raise ours. Thank you for your friendship and encouragement and if there’s any topic you’d like me to write on and research more in detail, please let me know! We love you guys a ton!

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