| Volume 1 #1 | October 2005

Sorry so long in getting this newsletter off the ground! But, I wanted to start off with getting the message out right instead of going out too quickly!

The Way of Embracing Encouragement – Part 1: 
Giving Encouragement to Others

I've had several occasions lately to speak to groups about how to embrace encouragement. I spoke about three key ways to do this:

- Giving encouragement to others.

- Accepting encouragement from others.

- Believing in yourself.

 In this issue, I'll talk about the first way: giving encouragement to others.

 Some of the most important advice I ever give to people is, do not, repeat, do not pass up this opportunity, no matter what. Your simple words of encouragement can have a life-changing effect on people. Trust me on this one: there are few things in this world that are more satisfying than knowing that you've made a tangible impact on a person's life.

 In the last couple of years, I've encountered people whose creative talents were so obviously undeniable. Obvious, that is, except to those with the talent. They had no idea how good they really were…and this kept them from taking the next step in developing their gifts further and sharing them with others. In one instance, a number of people pulled together to encourage a brilliant writer who only shared her writings on a message board to publish her first book. They did this not only by their words, but they also contributed seed money for the book's publication. 

 Just by showing your support to someone, you can be the one to open the door to a person's dream.  If you see someone with a great talent, point it out and lift it up. If you’ve learned something, share it. Some people have a fear that if they give their expertise to someone who may be on a similar path, they will lose their own opportunities to them. That reminds me of the Bible tale in Matthew 25: if you share your talents you will prosper, but if you hide them selfishly, you won’t. So often, you will find that the good you give will come back to you. But, don't let that be your motivation for encouraging someone. Do it because it's the right thing to do.

 Next issue: Accepting Encouragement from Others

Visit embraceencouragement.com for news on teleclasses and where Wendy is speaking next!

Contact Wendy to have your group hear her message of encouragement, or have her facilitate a group coaching session!

All original written material ©2005 Wendy Vickers. All Rights Reserved.