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One afternoon I went to eat lunch at a restaurant alone. I sat and enjoyed my meal as I glanced out the window, happy to know I could soon exit the crowded space.

After I finished, I waited for the check. The waitress came to the table and left me a sheet of paper instead of the bill. All it said was, “You don’t know me but today your meal is my way of sharing a kindness. Have a great day.”

In that moment I nearly wept. Who would take the time to offer such an unexpected gift? I was overwhelmed by emotion in the gesture. And the fact that it came from a stranger made the action even more significant.

At the time, I couldn’t explain why the kindness of a stranger was so meaningful, but I’ve since concluded that it’s what the action represented that impacted me most.

There are days it feels like we live in hopeless times. History, the little I understand of it, does seem to repeat itself, because humans remain inherently the same.

At least, that’s what I think when I’m feeling sad and my thinking is unbalanced. Nothing good comes of dwelling in such dark thoughts.

But then, there is kindness, that curative instigator of hope. The generosity of that stranger reminded me to look out and see the good people do rather than wallow in the bad. I’ve not forgotten the experience, and several times I’ve passed the kindness forward. 

AN ACT OF ENCOURAGEMENT

Encouragement is an act of kindness, too, and lately I’ve thought a lot about the sources and the power behind it. The kind of encouragement that resonates and gives you confidence is something rare and valuable. 

I know I thrive on encouragement and suppose we all must crave it since we seek inspiration in quotes, self-help books and life coaches. It takes real fortitude to keep going some days. We search for a reason to move on and make the effort to move forward. Inspiration can make the difference.

Yet, what happens when you ask some of those closest to you for encouragement? If you’re lucky, you have people in your life who cheer you on no matter what. They have faith in you even when you don’t.

But there are other times when those closest to you come with baggage. They may share judgements or try to fix you with some resolution that isn’t encouraging at all.

They’ve heard your plea or ideas before, and they’ve seen you fall down. Some of those closest to you may even suggest you should give up and settle for less than you are.

THE SUPPORT OF STRANGERS

Perhaps you’ve noted times when encouragement came from unexpected sources. Maybe you have known what it is to send your voice into the seeming void of humanity and speak words of fear, only then to find reassurance from a stranger that resonated just when you needed it.

In those times, it turns out that strangers are not so foreign after all. Instead, they remind us we are part of a whole. There can be wisdom from those you don’t know intimately, and the message can even be profound because it does not come with the history of a relationship.

Receiving the nourishment of encouragement that is specific to your needs can be palliative, and when it comes to you with a touching bit of effort like a physical card or letter, it could matter most of all.

THE NOURISHMENT ENCOURAGEMENT PLAN

We live in a space where social media reigns. We leave comments and emoticons expressing our interest in the stories and thoughts of others, and that is fine.

I wonder, though—what if we took comments of encouragement to a different level and offered letters and cards of support instead?

Are you someone who could use a bit of specific support in your snail mailbox rather than just junk mail or bills? Are you working to reach a personal goal, like exercise regularly, stick to a diet, strive to be a good parent, or balance your life and relationships?

I’m here for you as the first of what I hope will become a team of encouragers to offer you a gentle note of words to motivate you forward!

Here is how I envision operation “Nourishment of Encouragement” to work:

1. You send your mailing address and encouragement need in an email to sherry@storiedgifts.com.

2. I’m a professional story listener by trade, so I will read and be that objective outsider who sends you real mail with targeted feedback to help give you fortitude.

That’s it! And I think it’s a pretty simple idea.

And why would I commit to sending you a note of encouragement? Recently I learned that I felt better when I switched from seeing my social media feed as a place to vent and spent more time offering comments and saying positive things instead.

After just a few days of saying kind and encouraging things to others, I felt less stress and more joy for myself and for others. Truly, sending you a note of encouragement is a win-win proposition!

So, I begin with what I hope will be a growing team of those who seek inspiration (and maybe even those who wish to join in sending nourishment of encouragement to others), ready to provide you with something tangible you can save somewhere to remind you to strive.

I’m not a therapist, but I can promise to give you mail featuring the encouragement to reach because you deserve to believe in yourself.

I am here.

Whether you are in need of encouragement or want to help encourage please be sure to share this post. Shares help boost the message.

photo credit: Photo by freestocks on Unsplash

Postscript: One comfort is a clean space. If you need help getting going on organizing your home check out Get Organized Gal’s courses for support.

I used her course to organize my office, and it is in pretty good shape these days. Success in one space has lead to cleaning channels to other rooms and photos as well. Check out he courses here.

Sherry is the founder of Storied Gifts a personal publishing service of family and company histories. She and her team help clients curate and craft their stories into books. When not writing or interviewing, Sherry spends loads of time with her grandchildren and lives in Des Moines, Iowa.

STORIED GIFTS SHOP

Need a beautiful infusion of inspiration for your storied life? Please check out the Storied Gifts Shop where we offer Wearable Wisdom & Daily Inspirations.

The shop is a mother and daughter venture for Sherry and Alexandra Borzo of Content In Motion. They both work to help their client's stories sing. The shop is their effort to inspire a focus on healthy minds for everyone through positive thought.

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