I Challenge You To Start Validating Others

One of my New Year's resolutions this year is to offer more validation.  What does this mean?  It means, I want to make it a priority to offer support, encouragement or praise to  friends, family and those that come and go in my life.  

 Facebook, Twitter, Blogs....for the first time in history you don't have to be famous to have a voice.  One common dominator in all humans is that we all want to be heard and feel like what we do and says matters.  I started noticing the importance of this here when I was doing my 31 Days of Family Bliss.  The way we react says alot about ourselves and what we think of the other person. What reactions are we sending out to others?

Some questions to ask yourself....

1.  Are you a "Liker" and commenter on Facebook? 
     Facebook has made it so easy to validate others feelings and circumstances.  Are you a ghost facebooker, where you read everyone's updates and look at their photos, but never hit "Like" or leave a comment?  If so, why?  I promise you, your "friend" wants you to at least "like" it, otherwise they wouldn't FB it.  Now, I know that some people FB every detail of their life and I'm not saying you have to "like" everything, but for those moments of pure excitement, joy, stress or worry I urge you to leave a comment, it's the least you can do for a "friend" right?  I hate to think we are becoming so numb in our society that we can overlook life changing status updates without batting an eye. 

2.  Are you a blogger and you have loyal readers who leave comments, but you have never taken the time to read a single post they have written or comment on their blog?  They obviously think your blog is great and think highly of you,  I encourage you to leave them a little love too.   A quick, thoughtful comment, may make a bloggers day.

3.  When you are waiting in line or are at a doctors office do you sit around staring at your phone?  I encourage you to take notice of others, start up small talk or give a simple smile.  Several years ago, I was at a park and began making small talk with a mom pushing her child in the swing next to mine.  We had a conversation about her son being behind in language skills and while my child was older, he had many of the same issues.  Fast forward a year later and I get a phone call from her late one evening because she was overwhelmed that her son was just diagnosed with Asperger's.  Since that night, a wonderful, supportive friendship has occurred, that never would have taken place if we hadn't had small talk on the playground. 

4.  Do you offer encouragement or compliments to others?  When you talk with others make it a point to offer them a compliment or ask them about something important to them.  I don't think we should be over the top and fake, but start to truly look for the good in others and when you see it let them know it.  I have been blessed to have a mother like this.  As a child, she was always my biggest fan, encouraging, complimenting and just making me feel good about myself.  Even to this day, when I speak with her on the phone, she is always telling me what a great mother I am and I must admit, it feels really nice.  I have been lucky enough to have some friends like this over the years, that offer genuine care and concern for life's good and bad moments.

Now, I know we are not supposed to get our validation from others, but from God, but who was more compassionate and caring then Jesus Christ?  Who is a better example of offering validation then God, who forgives us for our sins AND still loves us, no matter what.  What a wonderful example of Christianity to offer validation to those that come and go in our lives.  Make it a point to see the best in others, smile, compliment, hit the "like" button and encourage.  Society makes it hard enough to feel good about ourselves and second guess many aspects of our lives.  How wonderful would it feel to be a source of encouragement to others?

I challenge you to show kind gestures to others  without expecting anything in return, you never know the impact you may make in their life.  So, what do you think?  Will you join me?

Pin It