Pep Talk: Encourage Yourself

I give myself pep talks all the time. Whenever I felt as though I was not making the mark, I would assess the situation and give myself a pep talk to do better and strive for more. Now I could tell you that it always worked, but it didn’t yet it did. As long as I continued to encourage myself I never gave up on me.

When you give up on yourself is when all hope is lost. It doesn’t matter if others give up on you that is their prerogative. When you give up on yourself then you are headed for trouble. If you can’t encourage yourself it doesn’t matter what anyone else says. Initially they can provide you with words of encouragement. At some point you have to embrace those words as your own. If not, when you gaze in the mirror the reflection they see will in no way resemble the distorted reflection that you view of yourself.

In high school we went to pep rallies before the game to get everyone pumped up to win. We cheered and screamed for the intense purpose of encouraging our team to win. Our goal was to ignite school spirit in getting behind our team. In some cases, the teams aren’t really winners but we still cheered them on in hopes that this game would make the difference. Diehard fans don’t care if the team win or not they are still going to cheer with them in hope that the next win will be the one.

Who is in your cheering circle? Right now you are probably running down a litany of people you know. That is the most natural thing to do. You begin to think about all of the people who support you and your goals. How many have you listed at this point? Wow! You never knew this many people believed in you.

That is great! Where in the list do you fall? If you didn’t say at the top then you need to re-evaluate your list. There comes a time when the only people at the pep rally are “me, myself and I.” In essence, you are the only crowd there. No one else is around to encourage you. You can’t even reach the most reliable person on the telephone.

This is when the rubber meets the road. This is when you know that those pep talks are taking effect. It is then that your words are the very tools used to encourage you to keep moving. Mama wasn’t there and neither was Daddy. Your sister wasn’t there and your brother was missing from action as well. You feel like the mantra my family said teasingly to each other as young kids, “You ain’t got no friends.” Every friend you thought you had has disappeared into obscurity.

Oh, but you got yourself. Until you learn to like yourself you will never be able to be your own cheering squad. You will always seek outside stimulus to speak words of life in you. These words actually fall on stony ground because of how you feel about yourself. They never go deep enough to germinate and produce a healthy attitude.

There comes a time when you have to encourage yourself. No one else can do it. It may seem as though you’re a little off, but it works. I often tell people that I am harder on myself than anyone else. They always look at me puzzled. You see, I am only with them a little while; but I’m with me all the time. No one knows my strengths and weaknesses better than I do. No one knows how to encourage me better than I do.

You can do the same for yourself. Begin by looking in the mirror and make a decision to see the greatness God placed in you. If you don’t know the words to say initially, there is a Book chocked-full of positive Words all about you. It’s the BIBLE!

SCRIPTURE

And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God. 1 Sam 30:6 (KJV)

A person’s anxiety will weigh him down, but an encouraging word makes him joyful. Prov 12:25 (GW)

In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me. Psalms 86:7 (KJV)

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. Psalms 121:1-2 (KJV)

Who gives us comfort in all our troubles, so that we may be able to give comfort to others who are in trouble, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2 Cor 1:4 (BBE)

Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Psalms 37:4 (KJV)

Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Phil 4:4 (KJV)

PRAYER

Father, There are times when I need encouragement and when I look around there is no one there but me. During these times I may be a little weary, but I need a “pep talk.” The “pep talk” can only come from me. That is when I have to go deep inside, seek You and learn to encourage myself. I thank You for providing me with the right Words to say whenever I’m at a lost. Sometimes I find it hard to express what I feel. Your Words spawns a well-spring of life inside of me and propels me into a mindset where I know I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me. Amen