A while back I was walking in a nearby park and deep in thought as I trudged up the hill. Then I heard a voice shout, “Someone’s EX-ER-CIS-ING!”

I turned to see a gathering of kids around a baseball diamond. They were probably six or seven years old. When the teacher shouted they all turned to look at me and began clapping.

“Good job!” One little boy shouted, “Good Jooob!”

I smiled, waved and picked up my pace. They clapped and cheered until I was out of sight. I was impressed at how their teacher was not only coaching their little softball team but was also teaching them to encourage anyone who was exercising.

The next loop when went past the team I walked faster, held my body straighter, smiled and waved. It’s amazing how a little encouragement can help us to step up our game, even a little bit.

This was so much more encouraging than the time back in my twenties (and a size 8 I must add) when I was running and a kid yelled out from a school bus, “Run, fat lady! You need to!” Not so encouraging.

Do you remember a time when you received a little bit of unexpected encouragement?

When will you have a chance to share a ‘good job!’ during your day?

Doing good through encouraging someone is a small gesture with a big payoff! You and the person you encourage will both walk away standing a little straighter and feeling a little better.

Let’s start a ripple effect of encouragement!

Myra McElhaney is an author and speaker. You can contact her at Myra@MyraMcElhaney.com and find her latest book, Building A life You Love After Losing the Love of Your Life on Amazon.com