The Oxford English Dictionary defines encouragement as the action of giving someone support, confidence, or hope to someone.
Everyone has bad days, it is an unavoidable truth, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t try and turn someone’s bad day around.
When we are sad, angry, or hopeless, sometimes all we need is someone to show us that there are still things to be happy about. We need someone to believe in us, but we also need to believe in ourselves. Audrey Hepburn said, “People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed. Never throw out anyone.”
If we are upset, something as simple as someone supporting and caring for us can make us feel 100 times better. If we show someone love, we never know the effect it will have on them. Mother Teresa said, “We can do no great things, only small things with great love.”
We should all aim to encourage and support people, because we cannot expect them to do it for us if we don’t show them the same care. Sometimes if we are in a dark place, helping someone else can show us the light. If we can help make someone else happy, then we will feel happier as well. Aung San Suu Kyi said that if you are feeling helpless you should help someone.
We don’t only need to encourage other people though, we need to encourage ourselves. You can’t love someone if you don’t love yourself. We need to be able to look at ourselves and say, “Yes, I am good enough.”
It may not be easy at first, but it becomes easier and it is always worth it. Stand in front of the mirror every morning and tell your reflection 10 positive things, even if you don’t believe it at first, you will grow to believe what you are saying.
Judy Garland said, “Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.”
