Winning at life
My sister often says, “You are winning at life!” It is her trademark way of celebrating the success of another. Everyone enjoys hearing positive words. They feel so good we lose control of our facial expression. Our hearts swell and our minds are flooded with endorphins. Then our faces brighten and our mouths fall agape. There is nothing like it. I still relish the memory of my grandmother complimenting me for rising early and readying myself like someone twice my age. That was fifty years ago. Sincere praise can fuel us for weeks, months, and years.
Yet we can’t live off the praise of others. It is not healthy and it often leads to forms of manipulation that everyone can see except the one doing the manipulating (ourselves). We flatter in hopes of receiving flattery back. We sing our own praises in the hope that others will join in. I am no psychologist but I know these tricks when I see them… and when I do them. They aren’t hidden nor are they pretty.
I find that the best encouragement comes from two sources:
Accepting what the Bible says about myself. “How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.” Psalm 139:17, 18.
Secondly, I am encouraged (and stay encouraged) when I start my day off with three early accomplishments (wins) - a bit of exercise, a healthy breakfast, and time in my bible (see reason #1).
When we start the day with some wins (like the ones mentioned above) we tend to protect those wins. We are less likely to have pizza, ice cream, and a Coke for lunch if we’ve managed to drag ourselves out of bed, get some exercise, and eat a healthy breakfast. I call it the “power of the streak.” Once you start a streak - like giving up caffeine for two weeks, the streak takes on more power. Its power to compel us forward on day fourteen is greater than day two. It is not fool proof (we are human), but it seldom fails. It is also a form of self-encouragement based on real achievement, not a sugary flattery-induced substitute.
Winning at life starts with accepting the truth of scripture… and building in the habit of some (early) and daily wins.
