We Need Each Other

In a world so full of Social Media, it's easy to forget just how much we need each other. It's become too easy to hide behind the picture, easy to not get too close and form genuine relationships, and easy to disregard the support we need in each other.

This week I listened to Erwin McManus speak on the Power of Encouragement and the human connection to it. He spoke saying, "The word encourage means to put courage into someone. When you encourage others, you grow in your courage." The message resounded in my mind, as I began to realize the weight and responsibility we each have to encourage each other. I continued to look up what the word "supportive" meant. The meaning is "to give help or assistance, or to hold someone up." How often, have I needed assistance while going through something, how often have I needed to be embraced?

We often build up our identity and who we think we should be around the ideas of success. We focus and put our whole identity into a "title and position" and getting to the peak of what we think might be. For some reason, at times we have been groomed to believe that when it comes to us achieving what we desire, that there is only room for one. What we have to realize is that success is not only for ourselves, but success is for everyone. We have to get to a place where we understand that if we are only encouraging and living for our success, we might reach it only to realize that it's the loneliest place to be.

 Real success is when you are climbing the ladder, and you reach down to help pull someone else up. There is so much more power when we stand together as women than when we choose to stand alone. I find some of my greatest feelings of achievement have been when I have been a part of seeing someone else reach their goal.

When a girlfriend of mine is seeing their dream or vision come to pass, just by encouraging them and cheering them on, I can partake in their happiness.

We as women have the responsibility, and honor to help build each other up for more. It is a beautiful and inspiring time we are living in today. It's a time where we are seeing more and more women become successful and breaking the glass ceiling. We are finding this to be true not only for us, but for others also, and when one woman finds herself in success, it helps create the path for the next woman to step into it.

This idea not only applies to the women who are in the workplace, but also to the women who are staying at home moms or find themselves in a different line of work raising a family. When we take the time to encourage and cheer one another on, we are taking responsibility not only for our generations but for the generations being raised behind us.  

I have found in my life that the people that support one another are the happiest. And what an example we can set for a younger generation when we show them it is a good thing to celebrate others. Our lives don't need to all look the same; we have filters for that. But our lives no matter where we are on the world's view of "success," Need to be lives that are aware of others. We need to be mindful of the mom that's worn out from staying home with her children. We should show her value, and the importance of what she is doing and the future she is raising. What about the women who are in college longer than they feel they should be, let's encourage her to know that one day it will pay off. Look around you, and you will find success comes in many sizes, shapes, and titles.  

I often think of the single mom going to school, holding down a job, and raising her kids alone, or the janitor that maybe is overlooked as someone who isn't successful. We don't know the behind the scenes of their story, and the core of who they are. But what if we told them "they matter," what if we started encouraging women all over. Something as simple as telling someone they are brilliant, inspiring, and that they are making a difference in the world can shift the course of their life for the better. I want to make a difference by encouraging others.

Women are genuinely modern-day super hero's. There is never enough encouragement or value to be given. It should be a cup running over when it comes to the life we speak into each other. Imagine the courage we can provide and the courage we will be receiving back by building others. I want to make a difference by encouraging others. My success comes to fullness when I see others succeed.


 Here's to a fantastic future together, raising strong women!

 

Written By: Mackenzie Lucas 

Image Credit: empoweringwomennow.com