National Encouragement Day

September 12th recognizes the National Day of encouragement each year. This day is dedicated to taking the action of giving someone support, confidence, or hope. When a person thinks happy thoughts or feels optimistic the brain produces serotonin which leads to enhanced mental functions such as creative thinking, cognitive flexibility, and faster processing. Here are a few simple ways to encourage others around you.

1. Leave small notes around with words of gratitude.
2. Agree with their feelings. Never minimize or correct.
3. Do a task normally done by someone else.
4. Be quick to listen and slow to talk. Sometimes people just want to be heard.
5. Think of something that is normally not praised, because it is simply expected and thank the person for doing it.
6. Encourage even the smallest effort.
7. Empower a person to see their abilities.
8. Simply love others.