If “Plan A” fails, there’s always “Plan B”, right?  Well, not so fast! Now I’m thinking that if “Plan A” failed, then it wasn’t the “A-Plan” we thought it was after all, was it? If you’re struggling with the tatters of lesser plans, learn from them, and then let them go. Handled with enough grace, this process will always allow the “A-Plan”, the true “Plan A”, to emerge in victory! Remember, your dream has you, you don’t have it, and it will never give up!

Simple Encouragement and Simply Encouraging are Trademarks of Simple E Creations, Inc.

This mini-blog first emerged as a “Simple e-Couragement”. It received such a strong response that I decided to post it here as an official Simply Encouraging® Blog. If you don’t receive them, you can subscribe to “e-Couragements” at the link above.

I love core values. Do you have any? If you don’t, you probably do! Go ahead and study your thoughts, feelings, and actions over the next few days. You’ll come to see what you stand for, and I bet you’ll be pleased. I love teaching about core values, and I think the best instruction is to simply share mine. 

“Simplicity” is my first core value. It speaks to the characteristics of honesty, clarity, and a wholehearted commitment to innocent faith. Saying, “Simplicity” out loud feels light, easy, and a little bit playful. I guess that says it all! (And if you want to remember this one just think, “Simple City”. See how that works!)

“Excellence” is my second core value. Being committed to my very best in any given moment frees me from artificial standards and judgment. I’m always good enough, and sometimes I'm more! Always remember that you have the freedom to be the very best you that you can be. It’s true!

My third core value is “Transcendence”. For me, transcendence takes me to an actual place where I nurture hopes and dreams that exceed what might seem practical, or even possible! Remember “Simple City”? Yep, that’s where I reside these days, and it's a magical experience! Special things happen here, if you can just believe. I know, that makes me kind of odd, but thanks for noticing!

“Charity” is my fourth core value. It’s a state of the heart that always loves others more than it loves self. Think about it, that’s a standard of care that lives and breathes “simplicity”, “excellence”, and “transcendence”. May we always give more than we take!

My last core value is “Serenity”. In its stillness, the truth speaks quietly. I love the Psalm that says, “Be still, and know”. “Know what?” you ask? Don’t worry, if you become still and stay there long enough, you’ll eventually figure it out. By the way, is “sarcasm” a core value?

That’s the course! I sure hope you enjoyed this Simply Encouraging® Experience. If you made it this far, you get a great big smiley sticker on your forehead. :)  

Simple Encouragement and Simply Encouraging are Trademarks of Simple E Creations, Inc.

When I work with groups, I often do an exercise in “Proactive Self-Definition.” It’s a moving experience that helps people become more aware of the inner guides that shape their lives. I ask people to think of that one person from over the span of their entire lifetime that they would most like to be like. I love to watch the reflections in their eyes, and waves of emotion crossing their faces as they arrive upon the “one.” 

I then ask them to give me five descriptive words or phrases that would tell me how this “most special person” treated them. I often hear adjectives like “loving,” “gentle,” and “caring.” Typical comments are “They really knew and believed in me,” “They were always there in the tough times,” and “They accepted me, no matter what.” Very often I hear these people described as “heroes,” “angels,” and yes, “leaders”. 

”Isn’t that interesting? The people that these folks are subtly patterning their lives after didn’t necessarily have important titles, big salaries, or large offices with degrees on the wall. Many of these leaders had no semblance of authority whatsoever yet, years later, they continue to wield great influence in the lives  of those that they touched. 

There’s a term for this kind of leading influence, and it’s called Simply Encouraging Leadership. The ability to influence someone’s highest expression over time is the essence of this unique form of love. Simply Encouraging Leaders cherish people in the context of intimate relationships. Rather than standing above others, they seek to know, and to be known. It’s through this knowing that Simply Encouraging Leaders not only cheer up and praise, but speak “life to potential, healing to pain, and light to darkness” for those around them. Because they genuinely love, Simply Encouraging Leaders are able to bring “life, healing, and light” to the hearts of those entrusted to their care. 

Simply Encouraging Leaders walk with the people they lead, shoulder-to-shoulder, and they are prone to see more in others than they see in themselves. They build people up in a way that brings out their hidden talents and gifts, and they are present in ways that heal limiting emotional wounds. These “heroes” offer acceptance and grace that breaks the bondage of shame that creates a glass ceiling on the expression of one’s greatest spirit. 

What I am describing is a worldview that I call “Simple Encouragement®,” and Simply Encouraging Leaders do it instinctively. Through this special way of being and relating, Simply Encouraging Leaders leave behind “giants” that change the world, and their only legacy may be a “sacred home” in the hearts of a handful. And if you really think about it, that’s a legacy that would leave anyone resting in a very sweet peace. 

Simple Encouragement and Simply Encouraging are Trademarks of Simple E Creations, Inc.

You CAN Change People!

Cultivating the Art of Maximum Influence

You’ve all heard the chant, but is it true? “You can’t change people, you can only change yourself.” I challenge this notion in a fun way, and with a unique twist that will enlighten and empower you! Through five focused steps, you will learn how to be a “person of interest” and a “change-agent” for those around you. Dressed up as a short talk or a mini-seminar, this Simply Encouraging® Experience will make you or your team more dynamic and effective at influencing one another, and the people groups that you serve.

You CAN Change People!

Copyright © 2011 Thomas Waterhouse and Simple E Creations, Inc. All rights reserved.

Thomas@SimpleEncouragement.com

727.784.8223

Simple Encouragement and Simply Encouraging are Trademarks of Simple E Creations, Inc.