The Power of Words - Encouragement

This blog post is a follow-up to our podcast episode with the same title. You can listen to that episode here: The Power of Words - Encouragement. 

 

 

I founded this company with the belief that words hold great power. How we use our words influences those around us. I try to take this to heart and live it out everyday. No matter where you are at currently, you can always improve. That’s why our tagline is choose it, rep it, live it. Your current position doesn’t have to be your final position. Choose to step into encouragement today. 

We covered a lot of ground in the podcast episode, and three of the main areas we focused on were celebration, being uncomfortable, and becoming an encourager. 

Celebrate More 

One important way to encourage others is to point out their strengths. We ought to be intentionally looking for characteristics to celebrate in people. Here’s why this is so important: we repeat what is celebrated. 

The next time your teammate does something well, point it out and tell them how awesome it was that they did that! Not only does encouragement help others feel better about themselves, it increases their level of excellence. 

Some organizations do a great job of this and have built a true culture of celebration. Here’s the news for you--that doesn’t happen by accident. The organizations and teams that have built strong cultures of celebration started at an individual level and grown from there. Today, you have the opportunity to start that in your area of influence and within you circle of relationships. Choose to point out the strengths in your family members, friends, and teammates. You will never regret celebrating others! 

Encouragement Requires Uncomfortability

Like all great things in life, we must be willing to be uncomfortable to share encouragement. In the episode, Nick and I discussed that authentic encouragement goes beyond what is expected or common courtesy. After someone gives a good presentation at work, it is expected that you will tell that person he or she did a great job. However, encouragement goes beyond what is expected. True encouragement in this case may mean sending an email or text message to that person to reinforce that they did a great job. 

In addition, encouragement is uncomfortable because it requires being deeply personal and specific. Including details about why someone did such a great job and the specific details brings so much more meaning and value to your words of encouragement. Although it may be uncomfortable, encouragement is always worth it. 

Encouragement → Encourager

Take the challenge to become an encourager. At the end of the day, the path to becoming an encourager starts with your habits. Pick one encouraging habit, start small, and begin your journey toward becoming an encourager. For example, start simple by sending an encouraging text message to one person each day. 

Many people think that I am a naturally encouraging person. While encouragement is a gift that the Lord has given me, I still need to steward it well. Speaking encouragement into someone’s life did not always come naturally for me, nor was it easy. I was timid and fearful to speak authentic encouragement to people. 

However, I started focusing on the truth that God speaks to me through His Word, the Bible. When this fueled me, I realized how encouraged I was and how desperately I needed that to live my best life. When I am fueled with encouragement, I am prepared to encourage others. 

The easiest way for me to begin my habit of encouragement was by thanking my teachers after every class and showing my appreciation for them. This small habit of encouragement led to more and more encouragement over time. Now, I encourage multiple people on a daily basis via social media, hand-written notes, personal interactions, and text messages! This didn’t happen naturally, and it didn’t happen overnight. It took years and years of focusing on little ways to encourage people everyday. 

Closing

Never underestimate the power of one small habit of encouragement over time. If you were to write one note of encouragement every day for the rest of the year, you would be able to encourage 102 people! I hope this message encourages you to step into the opportunity to be an encourager today. The world doesn’t need more critics, it needs more people speaking truth and life over others! 

Choose it, rep it, live it, 

Josh Lane