"Sometimes you feel like you are the only one in the world who's struggling, who's frustrated, or unsatisfied, or barely getting by, but that feeling is a lie. And if you just hold on, just find the courage to face it all for another day, someone or something will find you and make it all okay, because we all need a little help sometimes. Someone to help us hear the music in the world, to remind us that it won't always be this way. That someone is out there, and that someone will find you" - One Tree Hill.
Encouragement.
I've been thinking about this word for an abnormal amount of time lately. I look at my life right now and all I see is discouragement. Mostly, I have realized, it is my fault. Encouragement is not one of my strongest areas and never has been. I discovered this little tid bit about myself when I was encouraged to encourage those around me. How ironic. I then started to notice that I have never encouraged myself (that's so weird for me to even think about doing.) Instead I constantly beat myself up. Nothing I do or say is ever good enough and I will never measure up to those around me and who I was created to be. Now I could take this opportunity to say that the reasoning behind this, the root of the problem, is that these negative thoughts, all of this discouragement, has been instlled in me since I was a little kid. But I won't.
So instead of taking the easy way out and blaming this on other circumstances (or even other people) I have decided to think differently than I normally would. I've decided to ask some questions. Who am I not to encourage those around me? Who am I to put myself down? How selfish. The only thing that beating myself up does is give permission to those around me to tear me, or even worse themselves, down.
And what if I am the one who is supposed to help make it all okay? Or at least start them in the right direction. What if I am the only one that someone ever gets encouragement from? What happens if I'm the only one that Would it really be that hard to eliminate all of the negative words and thoughts out of my life? Difficult yes but definately achievable.
I guess the only questions I really need to ask myself are: Am I lifting those around me up or am I tearing them down? Am I giving them permission to take a seat or am I prompting them to move? Am I someones excuse?
Oh Lord I hope not.
