When you encourage others, you in the process are encouraged, because you’re making a difference in that person’s life. –Zig Ziglar
Back in the day, an interesting, hilarious, or noteworthy voice message from a friend on the answering machine could live on in perpetuity. People would gather around, turn up the volume, and soak it all in. Have a good laugh? Hit rewind! Of course, that pales in comparison to the viral nature of this digital age, but a person could still achieve micro-level fame from a perfectly timed voice message.
And the messages from our parents were in a class all by themselves. Clueless to the “high-tech” nature of the answering machine, messages would either ramble on awkwardly or get abruptly cut off in mid-sentence. C’mon on folks, it’s not rocket science! (Little did we suspect back then that our kids would feel the same way about our cringe-worthy Instagram posts!) Regardless of the content, we always enjoyed critiquing and picking them apart.
But one voice message rose above the all the others with its flawless execution and content. Our friend Chet didn’t do well on a particular test and had a few other very minor setbacks that he had shared with his parents. His father, who had a thick Indian accent, wanted to encourage him and let him know he cared. And he crushed it on the answering machine!
“Chet, we love you, and know you are not feeling happy…”
After a long pause, he continued.
“Chet, this is what I want to say to you….”
Another long pause, then a deep exhale.
“DON’T BE DISHEARTENED!”
Beep!
It was brilliant in its sincerity and simplicity. Chet never forgot it. And neither did we. And couldn’t we all use a little sincerity and encouragement in our everyday lives?
Who is in Our Corner?
In our work lives, we all hit roadblocks and low points. A difficult client or co-worker. A losing streak or dry patch. A crisis in confidence or apathy. A merger or uncertain future. Who can we turn to for help? Where do we find our motivation? How do we find our way back to higher ground? We can only summon so much resilience from within. Oftentimes, we need another perspective to lift us out of our rut. A mentor. A manager. A co-worker who has been through the fires before. Words of wisdom can help us see a brighter way. But more than anything, we need encouragement. We need to know that someone cares. We need to know that someone will be there for us in our most difficult times. We need to know we have people in our corner.
And the same is true in our personal lives. Financial difficulty. A mental health crisis. Low self-esteem. Relationship issues. Struggles with substances. Our world view can shrink quickly and our focus can shift inward. It is up to us to address the issues, take responsibility and move forward. But we can’t always do that on our own. Sometimes, we can’t see the underlying issue. Sometimes, we can’t forgive ourselves. Sometimes, we are too despondent to climb back toward the light. That is when we need to know that someone has our back. That we are not going through anything alone. That we are loved. That encouragement is all around us. That better times are right around the corner. Don’t be disheartened!
Encouragement Matters
It will take intentionality. It will take hard work and focus. Problems don’t just evaporate because we have people in our corner. Time, diligence, and perseverance play a major role. But encouragement and understanding certainly help! And a funny thing happens when we provide a light for other people. It tends to illuminate our own path. It tends to give us strength and courage in our own lives. And it tends to have a cascading positive impact on our corner of the world. So why not try to incorporate it into our everyday lives?
Our lives will not take a linear path toward success and happiness. We will stumble and stray and get lost in the wilderness. But isn’t it nice to know we have people in our lives who care. And isn’t nice to provide that hope when others are going though similar difficulties. No one goes through a struggle alone. The world wants us to be successful and happy.
Everything is going to be okay. Don’t be disheartened!