Today, we would like to discuss two of the most powerful words in the world! Just like any other family, this week my family and I have faced several life situations for which I must kneel down, pray, focus, and meditate.  Often, we make decisions with the attitude of “What’s in it for me?”

What would happen if we took a different approach?  What would that approach look like?

What if we first sought out to ENCOURAGE and EMPOWER others before seeking to please self?

Both words deal with enhancing others and yourself, but let’s take a closer look at both words.

EMPOWER

 

When you empower someone, you are do the following: enhancing, liberating, enabling, equipping, or setting someone free allowing them to feel stronger and more confident.

Basically, to empower someone is to give them permission or POWER to be unique or different.  You be saying to yourself, “No one needs my permission!”  And I would agree 100% with you.  However, there are many people that aren’t looking for your permission, but would love the support of another.  If you won’t empower them, who will?

It may be a father, mother, brother, sister, co-worker, church member, bank teller, grocery store cashier, or it may be yourself needing empowering.  So, the next question is, “Who’s going to do it?”

To empower is to give a person an environment to grow!

Just like a flower needs healthy soil to sink its root into, so it can stand tall.  Empowerment allows us to stand tall.

This may look different depend on the person you are empowering because no one is the same.  We are all very different!  I call it, WEIRD!

Find a way to support someone’s weird.  Take some time and figure out how to let them know that you appreciate their different.

ENCOURAGE

 

You can encourage before you empower, but it would be wise to empower then encourage.  Both are kin, but there is a slight difference.

Let me use the flower example one more time.  The soil empowers the plant, but the flower and the soil will need replenishing.  This is when you need encourage.

How many times have you had support with starting something such as school, marriage, having children, church, a job, or a business?  Only to find a lack of support after starting.

I have been there before and unfortunately may be there again one day.  Although, I will plan better with my future endeavors to compensate and adjust for the lack of support.

Encouragement is the water to the plant.

When you are encouraging someone, your do the following to their spirit: bring cheer, uplift, inspire, motivate, vitalize, revitalize, fortify, invigorate, give support, advice, champion, nurture, promote, cultivate, foster, strengthen or stimulate!  WOW!  Who wouldn’t want to be encouraged?

Encouragement is consistently providing the support, whereas empowering is getting the person or you started.

Two of the Most Powerful Words

 

Both empower and encourage are verbs, which means it will take some work to get this done.  It will take you listening, being friendly, and respecting other people.

Think about it, if everyone took this sort of pay-it-forward way of thinking to encourage and empower others consciously every day, we might have a different world!  A WEIRD world!

I know, I know – someone is thinking that this is a load of crap.  If that is you, you may need empowering and encouraging.  We all need it.  Yes, it can be draining when others are just taking all the empowerment and encouragement you have to give.  But just remember, your time is coming!

I am sure there are influences that have encouraged and empowered you along the way, so be the same to someone else.

What I am trying to say is try to approach every conversation or interaction you have with the intent to encourage and empower!

Ways you can do this: 1) Talk with a smile – even over the phone or while you tweet or post to Facebook. 2) Speak to the positive of the situation – there is power in the tongue you know! 3) Think uplifting and bright thoughts. 4) Smile (the universal language) even if they won’t smile back.

MTN Universal is all about empowering and encouraging individuals, schools systems, businesses, etc.

Find 2-3 people to serve, empower, and encourage throughout the week and/or year!

 

How do you feel about these two powerful words?  (Please share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.)

 

Bryant & Chaitra

MTN Universal

Be the wEiRd this world needs!

 

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