Instilling Hope - Connect, Understand, Encourage

SHOW NOTES:

On this show…..we are talking about hope and most importantly, instilling hope. Such a beautiful subject in the midst of what feels like hopeless times. I want you to know you have power! A real power to affect change. All we have to do is tap into it, activate it, nurture it, and spread it. Hope is an optimistic state of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes with respect to events and circumstances in one's life or the world at large. As a verb, its definitions include: "expect with confidence" and "to cherish a desire with anticipation." The very act of being hopeful instills hope.

Encouragementology is the practice of instilling hope. A practice I created to make the act of encouraging others more intentional. Did you know that according to science and research, most of us live 95% to 97% of our lives on autopilot . . . we don t consciously think about many of the things we are doing each day.

I talk about the revelation that started my journey...What I found through that experience changed my world and uncovered my true purpose. I think your purpose was instilled in you at an early age and for some, it came to the surface naturally and for others, an exhaustive search just left them more confused. It may be because your “true purpose” sounds so grand and meaningful when it may be so blatant and simple. 

Encouragement. That’s what the world needs most. Love, yes, that is a given but encouragement makes things happen. Gives ideas flight. Lifts a person over an obstacle and propels them further and faster. Encouragement instills hope. 

But don’t just take it from me…..I found some good stuff on factgoods.com Words of Encouragement and Inspiration and the Science Behind How they Work

Let’s think about the ability to instill hope when your first thoughts are dejected. You wake up full of regret and anxiety about the day. You have work left undone, bills piling up, and a bank account that is shrinking. Where is the joy and how are you supposed to fake it.  You take that sour attitude with you into your first encounter. Someone else hit the snooze too many times and grumpy has some company. You both make matters worse by finding even more wrong with the world. Now you are searching for others to pull into your pit of despair. Not enough in your immediate vicinity….no worries, you have the whole Facebook network to inform. All the likes and loves just confirms this day sucks!  

Exhausting!! How about you climb back into bed and start this over by harness your power to affect change. The alarm goes off and you take a moment to listen, and ready your mind to find gratitude. Today I will have a positive outlook, no matter what or who crosses my path, I’m in charge of my mind. Thank you for a chance to share encouraging thoughts with another person today. I’m going to seize the opportunity to make a difference. You stay lifted as you head into work and encounter your first person. Ah, he seems down, let me remind him of all that is right with the world. “Good morning Stan, thank you for your help last week with those reports, I couldn’t have done it without you. Have a great day! Remember, you’re in charge”. You diverted Stan with a moment of positive reflection which just might have snapped him out of his mood. But here is the great thing about encouragement. It isn’t your job to make Stan see the positives in the day, it’s only to instill hope and let him uncover them himself. 

Continuing to build up our pro’s column, here are five more benefits of encouragement from Kevin Eikenberry.

• Encouragement provides awareness 
• Encouragement creates belief
• Encouragement builds confidence
• Encouragement improves attitude
• Encouragement promotes action

Did you know that you can actually fake a smile as an ice-breaker? Today with so much communication being experienced through technology, even having direct eye contact can seem forward. But do it anyway and then smile. 

We dig a little deeper into the science of something so simple. Here is an article I found from Leo Wildridge: The Science of Smiling: A Guide to The World’s Most Powerful Gesture

We explore Here’s Your CUE... To give people an applicable take-away from my sessions I developed Here’s Your CUE. CUE stands for: connect, understand, and encourage. This idea is tangible and easier to identify. 

It starts with making a connection. Not on the phone or over the internet, but a real face-to-face connection with another human being.  Next is to understand….You don’t have to agree with someone to understand where they are coming from. Just listen to understand. And lastly...Encourage. “You Can Do It! I know you can, I have faith in you, I believe that you can succeed, I know you have what it takes, I’m confident you can do it!”

Maintaining strong human connections is not only your gift to humanity it is for your own well-being and survival. Donna Pisacano Brown wrote a piece for LiHerald.com called The Power of Human Connection:

 

CHALLENGE: Take control of your day and point your trajectory in a positive way. Use your encounters as a chance to instill hope by connecting, listening to understand, and offering words of encouragement. What are you waiting for? Here’s your CUE!

 

I Know YOU Can Do It!