Thursday, February 2, 2012

Ways to Encourage #8 - Use Words of Affirmation

We all love to hear nice things said about us, whether its written or verbal. Here are a few ideas on how to let someone know what you think of them:

1.  WRITE IT DOWN. Send a note of encouragement to someone you know and care about. You can send an e-mail, a note in the regular mail, or hand it to them in person. It can be on a special occasion, or just because.

Here are a few examples of how my family has expressed our love and appreciation for each other through the written word:
~For my husband's 25th birthday, I wrote him a poem that told him how grateful I was to have him in my life. My brother has written poems to his loved ones as well.
~My mother isn't as much of a poem writer, but she has written her heart out to my dad on their anniversary, and she has written notes to her kids, as well. They were usually not in poem form, but completely from her heart.
~In the Christmas of 1998, I typed out 20 reasons why I love my husband and gave it to him as a gift.
~For the Christmas of 2005, I made my own Christmas cards with a tribute for each member of my family inlcuded on the inside. To give you an example, here is the one I wrote for my grandmother:  

Grandma – You are the most amazing person I know and I look up to you very much. I admire your inner strength, your faith in God, and your unselfish acts of kindness. You are compassionate and caring, you have a good sense of humor, and you are someone I know I can trust. I am so proud to have you for my Grandma, and I love you very much. Thank you for everything you have done for us. You are a very special lady.

BUT, WHAT IF YOU DON'T LIKE TO WRITE? Then, find a card that says exactly what you want it to say, and give them that. Or, choose one of these other options...

2.  PICK UP THE PHONE. Call someone and spend some time sharing what you appreciate about the person on the other line.   

3.  SAY IT IN PERSON. Invite a friend over for tea/coffee and spend the afternoon talking, sharing, and really listening to each other in a non-judgmental way. Pray for each other before you part ways.

4.  RECORD YOURSELF. Make a video of yourself sharing all the things you like about the people watching it. Record on a cassette tape or CD, doing the same thing.

No matter how you decide to do it, be sure to share with your loved ones how special they are to you, what you like about them, and how happy you are they are a part of your life. What's the point of waiting until someone has passed away before sharing what you loved about them!

Have fun with encouragement!

1 comment:

  1. amen; in this world of emails, social net working and texting still this is needed---
    people taking the time to actually share affirmation
    thanks Vickie!

    ReplyDelete

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