The other day when I went running, face red, sun hot, feet tired, a lady drove by. She nodded at me, then gave me a thumbs up as I ran.
It seriously made my day.
It’s as if she knew. She KNEW I needed to be encouraged just then as the huffing and puffing commenced in all its huffy and puffiness. Such a simple, small act that I still remember a week later.
The truth is, we all need a thumbs up every once in awhile. And if that is true, then it’s also true that all those other people out there need one too.
Today, I have an assignment for you. Find a person who seems to need a thumbs up–a runner, a checkout lady, a bagger, a random person at the post office. Don’t necessarily jut your thumb heavenward. Go a step beyond. Say something. Make eye contact. Smile. Encourage. Notice something cool about someone else.
A little bit ago, we went to our favorite restaurant in Rockwall, Chiloso. As we did, a woman left. She was stunning to me, wearing an impeccable outfit with a broad, open smile. I caught her eye and said, “You look beautiful today.” She smiled and said thanks.
I have no idea if that blessed her or not, but I do know that if someone said that to me at Chiloso, I’d be happy. However I love to be encouraged then becomes how I encourage others.
This can be a Debbie Downer world we live in. We toil. We fret. We stress over money. We get old. Folks bother us or diss us. We can’t seem to stay in shape.
No matter. It’s time to shed that downer persons, always being introspective, and become the kind of person who gives thumbs up to beleaguered runners.
Your challenge: Find a stranger, then encourage them. Then report back to me here. I want to hear your stories.
