Encourage One Another

“Be an Encourager. The world has enough critics already.”

Encouragement. Everybody needs it, even if we don’t realize it – or want to admit it. We often say in our house, “We don’t do negative” and taught our children the impact of encouraging one another.

Not sure where to start? Here are a few ways to encourage someone today.

Speak Words of Encouragement
Not long ago I saw young man sweeping the floors in the airport. As I watched him, I felt compelled to speak to him, but he caught my eye and spoke first. “How are you doing, ma’am?”. When I asked about him, he said, with a sigh, “Doing good. It’s another day.” He seemed locked in a boring pattern of work. After a minute, I called him over to my table and I asked about his story. He had moved to Atlanta to pursue his dream of being a music producer and drummer. I shared with him about my son, Ryan, who is also a drummer. As we talked about his dream, his face lit up with a huge smile. I connected him with Ryan on FaceTime and Ryan was able to encourage him in his journey. The difference in his face and body language was amazing. He thanked me for taking the time to learn about him and his dreams – and to encourage him.

Write a Note
Recently I worked out of town with a friend who has been married for 49 years. He and his wife enjoy each other’s company and she was able to travel with him. We spent two evenings together laughing, talking, and comparing notes on being married for such a long time. (Dwain and I have been married 37 years.) When I got home, I sent them a note of appreciation for their company and kindness. Here’s the email I received just yesterday:
“We received your nice card today.  What a thoughtful thing that was!  Meredith (his wife) was adequately impressed, and I certainly appreciated it.”
Receiving my card brightened their day and only took me a few moments to write.

Send an Email
If writing a note is not your thing, send a quick email. Did someone do an exceptional job at work today? Send an email to let them know you noticed. Even better, if appropriate, copy their boss on the email. Everyone likes to be recognized –even if it’s done quietly.

Pay it Forward
I am a fan of Starbucks coffee. When I am in line at the drive-through, it’s always a moment of serendipity when the barista says, “The person in the car in front of you paid for your coffee”. I LOVE that. It always brings a smile to my face and brightens my day. So much so, that I pay for the car behind me to keep the encouragement going.

Bring a casserole
I’m not crazy about casseroles, but a lot of people enjoy them. (Thankfully, everyone is not like me on so many levels!) If someone is sick, hurting, overwhelmed, bring them a casserole! It might be just the thing to encourage them during their difficult time. And their family will appreciate it too. I call that a two-fer. You get to encourage more than one person with a single act of kindness.

Spontaneous Acts of Kindness
I was already seated for a flight today when a woman came hobbling onto the plane. She was having a hard time walking and the Delta employees were doing a great job trying to help her. The gentleman sitting next to me was a former NFL player. He did not hesitate to stand up and support the woman as she slowly made her way down the aisle. He didn’t have to do that. But his spontaneous act of kindness made an impression on me and was appreciated by the woman.

One of my favorite songs is Fight Song by Rachel Platten:

Like a small boat
On the ocean
Sending big waves
Into motion
Like how a single word
Can make a heart open
I might only have one match
But I can make an explosion

Try encouraging someone today and watch their face. If it’s someone you know and they have a look of extreme shock, you might want to try it more often so they can adjust to the new you. If it’s someone you don’t know – go for it. Encouragement can be a random act of kindness and that’s something most people never receive.

Try encouraging someone today and share with us what happened.