September 12th is National Day of Encouragement. 

In honor of that day, I send this week’s blog out to you as a virtual hug.

Because, in the the 9 years I’ve been living with my autoimmune disease, I’ve learned that everyone is going through something.

We could all use some encouragement.  

A large part of the way I taught involved encouraging my students.  With a hug, with a high five, with a smile, with a positive word or two. 

But I can’t reach all my readers and look at you directly and tell you that I’m proud of your effort.  Tell you that I think you’re doing a great job.  Tell you to keep at it. 

Instead, I’ll share these words of encouragement that help me, and I hope they’ll help you:

“Faith is taking the first step even 

when you don’t see the whole staircase.”  – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

“Believe you can and 

you’re halfway there.”    – Theodore Roosevelt

 

“Nothing can dim the light which shines 

from within.”    – Maya Angelou

 

“Believe anything is possible and then 

work like hell to make it happen.”   – Julianna Marguiles

 

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters 

compared to what lies within us.”   – Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

“Promise me you’ll always remember:

You’re braver than you believe,

And stronger than you seem, 

And smarter than you think.”   

– Christopher Robin, from A. A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh

 

And now it’s your turn readers. 

Share the encouragement. Pass along some words of support, of hope, of inspiration to someone else. 

Plus, you can help encourage me by sharing my blog. Tell a friend who may be interested in reading my weekly posts about books, boys, and bodies. Invite them to sign-up. Share it on social media.

I appreciate it!