This is one thing that I have been trying to do for years - being an encourager for others. I need to continue to work on this skill for I still find myself criticizing others at times. When I saw this tweet from Carol, it got me thinking right off the bat on how much better our world would be if we encouraged others more rather than criticizing others.
As I was getting ready to write some thoughts for this quote - I read another post from a former student who is now living in a different part of the country. She wrote about how at her job there is a co-worker that she works with who is always criticizing her, nit-picking all the things she does wrong along never pointing out the good things she does. No encouragement at all from this person. She wrote about how she doesn't let it affect her and she just keeps up her great & positive attitude (much like when I had her in my classes) - and goes about doing her job. Her post went on to say that this negative co-worker had to leave and she was pulled over to fill in for his job the rest of the shift. Another co-worker in that area was so glad to see my former student working with her because the other person was always so negative about everything, including criticizing the other co-workers too. My former student saw that it was not just her that this person was doing this too, it was everyone!
Well from the story it seems that the negative person came back and had changed his tune a little bit as there were small little compliments and thank-you's giving to my former student. She mentioned how surprising it was to see and hear that from him. Not knowing the whole story, my guess is that my student's and her other co-workers' examples of not letting the negative attitudes - the 3 C's (criticizing, condemning and complaining) get to them, really got noticed by "Mr. 3 C's" himself! Not only did she and the others not let this person affect them and their work, but they also did not become like him! So many times we chime in and start saying things like the 3 C's person. Being around a 3 C person can make us feel like him (if we let those things become what we are thinking and doing) or it can inspire us to be more NOT like him and do things and think things that combat and go against the 3 C's.
I think it's safe to say, we all know someone like the criticizer from my former student's post. Either we work with someone like that or we have someone in our life that we know that is like that.
Another quick post I saw, also from another student (I love how they are out there making a difference) on how most people hate Mondays. She wrote about that she was going to the gym to get her day going in the right direction and inspire her to make it not only a great day but a great week too! She then asked an important questions to others - "tell me what inspires you"? I told her what helps to inspire me.....(she does with her posts like she put out) and I will ask you the same question. What inspires you? Share it with me and others. Make it a GREAT day and a FANTASTIC week.