Who can you celebrate this week? Not in the celebrity, magazine front cover sort of way, but in your own way. Who have you learned from? Are aligned with your values? Your work? Your dreams? Or someone who helped you solve a problem? Was generous to you? Kind to you?

We don’t go through life, our work, the change we seek for ourselves or to create, alone. We all have people along the way who help us. People like Sue, Seth, Mr F & Mrs F, Peter, Shane, David, Donna, Eric, Paul, Janna, Hannah, and Joe. People who help us see things we couldn’t. Some of these people we have never met, some we see everyday.

Change is about people and often the culture in which people live and operate. And no one, yes no one, goes to bed at night wishing that had less encouragement that day. And the funny thing is that when we encourage others, when we celebrate others, there is something that happens inside ourselves too. A small glow or smile, when we see or hear the other light up a little.

So today, start a streak, an encouragement, celebration streak – start each day with a note of encouragement. Handwritten, email, a phone call, the method does not matter. Do it in your own way. Who will you start with today? And who will be tomorrow?

And of course, there is the Encouragement Manifesto if you need inspiration.

Photo by Crissy Jarvis