Encouragement and How to Make This World a Better Place

We know that our attitude toward people can be self-fulfilling in that they often live up or down to our expectations. But if we truly want to make a difference in the lives of our fellowmen, we need to promote positives.

This week, the assignment to make this world a better place is to encourage someone, and I hope you do it more than once. In fact, I hope your journal of making this world a better place is beginning to have multiple entries in the same week.

If you've been reading my blog, you are already aware that one of my favorite Bible verses is Hebrews 10:24, "Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds." It really epitomizes what encouragement is all about.

Encouragement can be a simple pat on the back and saying, "Good job!" It can also be in the form of a compliment to encourage someone to do something or continue doing what they do: "Your artwork is outstanding." You are so smart!" "You should really sing in the choir." You can even pass along a compliment from another person to offer encouragement. (Research shows that hearing of a third party's compliment can sometimes mean more to someone than one that is direct.)

Encouragement might even come in the form of advice, but only advice that is wanted or absolutely warranted (such as preventing harm). Giving unsolicited advice can be unappreciated, unheeded, and may even cause damage to a relationship. So, if you do give advice, do it in a loving and encouraging way.

Whatever or however you choose, make this world a better place by focusing on encouragement this week, and try to do it in different ways as noted above.

My journal of making this world a better place last week included buying extra donuts and sharing them with a neighbor, delivering cards from a party to someone who couldn't attend, praising the authors of submissions to my next book, praising two service-related individuals to their supervisors, and participating in an "X-change" day in our townhome community where residents placed good, but unwanted, items on the curb for others to take.

Have a good week, and I know you can find many ways to encourage others!