What if no one ever cheered you on or clapped when you won? What would you do then? Would you cease to exist? Would that lack of acknowledgement thwart your purpose? Keep reading below for seven steps to encourage yourself.
In today’s social media culture, there is a tendency to live for applause and likes. But what happens after the final encore when no one is clapping? If you are not careful, your failure to garner sought-after approval could lead to disappointment, self-doubt, depression, or even worse. Therefore, it is important that you learn to encourage yourself even when no one else does.
Below are seven steps you could take to encourage yourself:
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Resist the urge to compare your stories to someone else’s.
Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. (Galatians 6:4, New International Bible, 1978/2011)
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Know that you are enough.
Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11, New Living Translation, 1996/2015)
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Know that you have what it takes.
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Ephesians 2:10, New Living Translation, 1996/2015)
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Celebrate the small win.
Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.” (Zechariah 4:10, New Living Translation, 1996/2015)
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Remember where your strength comes from.
I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13, New International Bible, 1978/2011)
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Don’t be too hard on yourself.
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? (Matthew 6:26, New International Bible, 1978/2011)
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Remember that you are never alone.
The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:8, New Living Translation, 1996/2015)
This Week’s Challenge
As you head into this week, meditate on some of these verses and begin to encourage yourself. You will notice that as you begin to encourage yourself, you will find less of a need to depend on others’ endorsements.
Read More From the 7-Day Reset Series:
7 -Day Reset | Day 5: Relationships
7 -Day Reset | Day 4: Gratitude
Biblical References
- New Living Translation. (2015). New Living Translation. https://www.tyndale.com/nlt/ (Original work published 1996)
- New International Bible. (2011). The NIV Bible. https://www.thenivbible.com (Original work published 1978)