25 [Cliché-Free] Messages to Encourage Yourself

The verb “to encourage” means “to inspire with courage, spirit or confidence.” One might think that we would be beyond needing encouragement by now; actually it’s more like showering, a daily dose is preferred.

Of all your communication, what you say to yourself is the foundation for everything else.

The first time I worked with a life/business coach was in 2009. I had just moved back to the U.S. after 3 years abroad, newly divorced and writing my doctoral dissertation while knowing I didn’t want to continue working in academia. Color me confused. For sprinkles on the icing, the economy at that time was not exactly helpful.

I was fortunate to work closely with Asheville-based Christine Kane for an entire year and she taught me a lot about mindset, or thinking habits, that set me on this entrepreneurial path. But she had this one really irritating habit. When I had something super-d-duper important to ask her about — some pressing conundrum of life, she would ask “How would you coach yourself on this?”

I never knew if this was because she was thinking, “uhm, I have no clue” or if she was intentionally forcing me to dig deeper. [I think it was probably option B…love you Christine!]

So the biggest takeaway of that year of being coached by a world-class entrepreneur and musician, was this: At the end of the day, while you may get professional help, you ultimately have to be your own coach, your personal cheerleader, and maybe even your parental unit.

Who doesn’t have days when you’d rather stay in bed?

What about those days when your car gives your trouble, your best employee quits, or that bodacious sale evaporates before your very eyes?

To help you out, here are 25 short messages like the ones I use to help reframe those pesky situations that  seem to pop up every time you’re not looking.

25 Messages of Massive Encouragement – cliché free.

1. I don’t have to do this thing, I choose to.
2. Slow down, Gorgeous!
3. I’m a super smart cookie.
4. This mess is temporary.
5. The only person I want to impress … is me.
6. God is my [unconventional] cheerleader.
7. Circumstances do not deliver my happiness.
8. It’s not essential that I know the answer to this right this minute.
9. I am ridiculously good at ________________. [Make sure you fill in that blank!]
10. The more experiments I do, the more I learn. And this is just another experiment.
11. There absolutely is a remarkable, creative solution to this issue.
12. I could be surprised at how well this turns out.
13. No matter what, I’ve always done my best.
14. I prefer to be where I’m celebrated, not just tolerated.
15. I can choose to feel differently; I choose ____________.
16. Past is not necessarily prologue.
17. Actually I’m where I need to be right now.
18. Emotions are contagious, have I caught a bad one? Shake it off!
19. As long as I keep moving, I’ll get there.
20. This world is a beautiful and amazing place and I’m grateful to be part of it.
21. At the right moment, I will know what I need to do.
22. Maybe I need a time out.
23. Let’s make this fun.
24. The truth is, no one knows what I’m truly capable of.
25. Every meeting is an opportunity for learning something and connecting with people. Let’s see what this meeting brings!

My favorite is #12. You might want to make a note in your phone with your own fave encouragement messages. These friendly reminders serve to help you enjoy your journey while moving toward the fulfillment of your heart’s desires. Feel free to add to this list by commenting below or share the love with someone who may be needing a dose of massive encouragement, right this very minute.

Laura Camacho is obsessed with communication as a tool for building bridges and careers. She believes all conversations should be carried out with style and enthusiasm. And a presentation is just a special sort of conversation. Read her [almost] weekly posts at www.mixonian.com. She’s up for hire for quirky communication workshops and private coaching.