Encouragement

I get several emails a day and gadgets that encourage me daily.  One of these is Inner kiddies.  Today's quote from Innerkiddies: "There are no traffic jams when you go the extra mile.  Unknown" This reference to Christ suggestion that when someone demands we help them out that we do more than requested.  I also received an email from my brother.  All it said was keep it up.  From my reaction that meant a lot to me.  One of the things I could continue to do when I was sickest was pick up the phone and call someone I knew that could use some encouragement.  Sometimes when I am feeling really down the hardest thing to do is something for somebody else.  Strangely one of the most paradoxical of behaviors is to help somebody else.  Unfortunately, when a depressed person hears, "You should do service," there is an intense desire to crawl back into bed and pull the covers over.  Consider this as a possibility.  The sermon on connection called Christ an Emotional Revolutionary.  He suggested do things differently than they have always been done.  Try your own mini experiment.  (Please remember when I mean mini I mean 5 minutes or less per day)  Every day for seven days take 5 minutes to do something for someone else.  If you share your home with somebody else make their bed for them.  (Preferably not with them in it.)  Let the person standing behind you that only has a few items to purchase go in front of you at the cashier.  Smile at the cashier and thank them for serving you.  Write an email to a friend or family member that hasn't heard from you in a while.  At the end of the day write down what you did.  This is a homework assignment given to me by KavinCoach.  I was curious by the human science that 5 minutes of kindness to someone else helps me feel brighter.  In light of the sermon on connect I think I know now why it works.  Connect sermon: http://www.thegroveaz.org/sermons/connect/ 

Zig Zigler shared by Simple Truths:
After a speech one day, Zig Ziglar was approached by someone in the audience who said:
"Zig, it was a great speech, but...motivation doesn't last."

Zig said, "Bathing doesn't either. That's why I recommend it daily!"     

I know during my darkest depression motivation didn't last 5 minutes.  So I surrounded myself with posters, emails and people that encourage me.  If I can give back some of that encouragement, it lifts me even further.  Cool principle.  Simple Truths is one of my newsletter emails that encourage me.  They are trying to sell books and other products which I don't buy but the emails have links to some short movies and quotes that can really help.  I also can delete it without opening it if I am feeling overwhelmed.  I will add Simple Truths to the resource list since for some people they may be helpful.  If you don't want some one daily encouraging you don't subscribe.  I learned there is real power in saying NO.  
Another way to peak in on Simple Truths without them bugging you in your inbox is to check out their blog on your terms.  Simple Truths Blog 

Gadgets are cool things in iGoogle they hang out on your homepage and send stuff you want.  One that I added rotates out different Success Posters.   I actually looked up inspirational quotes under gadgets and pick and choose what I like.  If they don't turn out the way I like DELETE.  I think DELETE is almost as powerful as NO.  
Success Posters http://www.google.com/ig/directory?url=googlegadgetworld.com%2Fmotivation%2FSuccessposters.xml
Reminder from God http://www.google.com/ig/directory?url=hosting.gmodules.com%2Fig%2Fgadgets%2Ffile%2F107853874984776220955%2FremindersFromGod.xml
Daily Inspirational Quotes http://www.google.com/ig/directory?url=scripts.tropicalpcsolutions.com%2Fhtml%2Fgadgets%2Finspirational-quotes%2Finspirational-quotes.xml


You will start to notice whenever I share an idea or resource I am quite happy for you to say NO.  KavinCoach worked a looonnnnggggg time trying to teach me that "NO" is a complete sentence.  When you read suggestions and you are already feeling overwhelmed, "Not right now," "Next year," "No," are all available to you the reader.  Sometimes when I was most depressed is when I felt overwhelmed by things I felt I had to do but didn't have the energy to do them.  When I share something that works for me, believe me when I say, "NO is an acceptable answer."  On the other hand if you have a suggestion of something that helps you, please, add a comment and give me homework to do.