Wednesday, January 25, 2023
Most people live in a constant stream of thoughts which affirm why they cannot, why they should not, or why they are not. We’ve all had those thoughts, the ones that solidify doubt and limit. There is no need to encourage those self-defeating thoughts by putting others down. The world is full of people who torture themselves, and there is no need for your “help.”
Someone needs you to notice something good within them. People simply do not believe in themselves. Doubt is louder than any other human instinct. People are not even comfortable in their own skin, be careful with your comments. It’s time to see small slivers of hope. It’s time to give encouragement to even the slightest goodness of heart. People need validation, but doubt has the mic. I’ve seen many-a student succeed, but only because I was the only one who believed in some small part of them that they, themselves, did not notice. Most people only notice what is “wrong” with them.
Perhaps you can be the only one who notices potential, no matter how small. Don’t dote over them, that’s disingenuous. Take note of when someone is doing something right. If they are getting it right, reward them with encouragement. We need to encourage good behavior, but the world is doing the opposite. We need to practice uplifting the lowly of heart, rather than uplifting the haughty. There is no greater joy than to witness the transformation of someone who overcomes their own doubt. Validate others when you see them doing something worthy, even if just a simple gesture of holding the door open for another. Bad behavior is getting all the attention and encouragement. A little positive encouragement, when someone is doing good and being good, will extract more goodness. Your encouragement will be like extracting a gem in a coal mine. Make it sparkle, and make it multiply.