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March 8, 2007----Issue 1
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WE LIVE BY ENCOURAGEMENT AND WE DIE WITHOUT IT, SLOWLY, SADLY AND ANGRILY.” CELESTE HOLM This quote challenges me to want to learn how to encourage every person I meet. Learning how to encourage takes time, courage, energy and knowing what makes people tick.
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This how to encourage newsletter is committed to encouraging you in your quest for an encouraging lifestyle. Includes:
Benefits of and tips for encouragement-awareness of what it takes to encourage others and
the rewards and dividends it pays
Random acts of encouragement-when words aren’t enough. The heartfelt practical prescription on how to encourage.
Encouragement quote, poems-inspiring encouraging quotes and poems from people who know what to say to impact others in a positive way
Words that matter-words that heal—word definitions to inspire and encourage you to build your vocabulary to find just the right word for the right situation
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WHY READ THIS NEWSLETTER?
Have you ever gone to a seminar on any business topic that you are interested in and been all fired up to do whatever they said, but a week later you are still doing things the way you've done them before you went? In other words, the challenge and motivation from one weeklong or weekend seminar is not permanent.
Of course it is not. Can you eat once and never again? How about cleaning your house or your body? To think you can receive all you need for a lifetime from one encouraging, motivating seminar or one book or article is crazy.
To keep yourself encouraged, inspired, motivated enough to be able to pass it along to others you must receive encouragement on a regular basis. You must feed your mind and soul positive stuff to keep it going in the right direction. Positive input equals positive output.
With all the negative news and difficult things in life, most people need help to keep a positive mind set. Check out howtoencourage.com for ideas, tips and benefits of an encouraging lifestyle. Never underestimate the power of positive words in a life. You can do it. I can help!
Encouragement for Cloudy Days
Living in the Midwest in the middle of winter can become daunting, indeed. Who else fights the urge to stay in bed under the covers, especially on Monday mornings? I have struggled over the years with being SAD, as I know lots of women and men do. What are some simple practical things to do to encourage during this time?
Follow the light, embrace the light! Go toward any light and soak it up. This could be as simple as sitting by the window and letting a few rays of the sun shine on your face…or trying some artificial sun in the form of tanning or sun lamps. There are special seasonal lamps to combat this light disorder that just might be worth it. (The ultimate for me is taking a nap in the sun--winter, spring, summer or fall.)
Here are several other action items that always encourage me.
Enjoying nature by bundling up and taking my dog for a walk. I love to see him run and play in the snow and I love the exhilaration I feel from exercising outside in the winter. There are beautiful
winter scenes everywhere I look. I can't describe what a cozy fire and warm drink feels and tastes like after this outdoor movement--you'll just have to try it for yourself!
Becoming a student of myself and knowing what fuels me so that I don't burn out during this season. Then, giving myself the freedom to experience a special treat or favorite pastime when things get too difficult or discouraging for me.
It might be setting aside an afternoon to read a book that I have been putting off…or meeting a friend for lunch. Making and keeping human-touch connections especially encourages me during the dark days that seem to go on too long at this time of year. Window shopping and soaking up the new (spring) colors is a luxury I allow myself once a month.
Whatever it is that encourages and inspires you, go for it!
Remember you are worth it—anytime of the year!
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When should you feel sorry for your friend…or challenge him? What is the difference between sympathy and empathy? Are you a better cheerleader or correction officer?
Webster defines sympathy as, “an affinity, association, or relationship between persons or things wherein whatever affects the one similarly affects the other.” Empathy is defined as, “the capacity for participating in another’s feelings or ideas with no judgment.” Similar, but not exactly alike.
Empathy refers to the ability to perceive and directly experientially feel another person's emotions as they feel them, but makes no statement as to how they are viewed. Listening and reflecting back a person’s feelings can be an effective beginning therapy approach to help the individual discern limiting beliefs and behaviors without negativity. A good example is someone holding your hand, i.e.support, while kicking you in the rear to get moving and make positive changes in your life.
Sympathy, by contrast, implies a degree of equal feeling, that is, the sympathiser views the matter similarly to how the person themselves does. It implies concern or feeling sorry for another, without challenging them to move on. This could be translated as getting in bed with the victim, joining the pity party and staying there.
Can you empathize with another’s hard times while encouraging them to move on? Or do feelings of sympathy keep you locked in the victim mentality for yourself and others? It takes awareness and knowledge to understand the right words to say and the intent to put into action. The good news is you can learn and develop empathy and compassion for others in a healthy mindset. You’ll discover the rewards of an encouraging lifestyle is a posisitve attitude for yourself and an enlarged heart for the important things in life—love, peace, service, kindness, confidence, gratitude. ********************************************************************************
Have you experienced any random acts or words of encouragement lately? Keep track of them in an encouragement file. When you have a discouraging day, open the file and read. That’s the secret a friend of mine in a high powered job used to keep from being depressed when she heard negative talk. “I came home, opened my file, read several letters or emails from people who encouraged me and then I let go of disparaging remarks. I told myself they don’t have a clue as to who I am.” Practice the art of self-talk and self-encouragement. It makes all the difference!
Howtoencourage.com—Encouraging Words for Family and Friends
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