Sunday, January 29, 2012

You Can Do It Babe

Do you have the habit of encouragement in your marriage?  Does your spouse encourage you?  Do you encourage your spouse?


I have recently been bumping my weekday alarm clock time earlier and earlier and getting to work earlier so I can gradually prepare for super early tax season mornings and not jump from arriving at 8:00 am to arriving at 6:30 am overnight.  That would be a yikes.   One morning last week, when my alarm clock was set to a mere 6:30, it went off and I sat up to begin my morning ritual of squinting at my bright phone to check weather, blogs I follow, emails and facebook to wake up.   Trent stirred a bit. 

"You can do it babe," he said.   

I paused for a second as I had flashbacks to past tax season early mornings and past early mornings when I studied for the CPA exam before work.  Almost without fail, they went like this:  alarm clock sounded, I sat up and looked at my phone, Trent stirred and told me "You can do it babe", I'd respond with "Thanks" or "Yep" or "I don't know 'bout that" or simply "Hmmph" and proceed to get up and study or get ready for work while he slumbered a bit longer.  That's our general routine for mornings when I have to meet the day before the day is even awake...

Last week when he said that to me, I responded more with "uh...ok, thanks, but it's not that early..."  I kept thinking about it though as I got up and got in the shower.   Trent is SO good at encouraging me when I need it and even sometimes when I don't particularly need it.   It's usually nothing elaborate and is most often just that simple phrase:  You can do it babe.   It makes me think "yes, you are right, I can do it."  

I am so blessed to have a spouse who regularly encourages me.  I do my best to return this expression of support and encouragement to him when he needs it, whether in words or deeds or a surprise cup of starbucks coffee...  To have this habit as a couple, I think you have to be in tune with each other and know what each other is going through and needs encouragement for.  Even the little stuff.

Do you have this habit of encouragement in your marriage?  If you aren't married, do you encourage your other family members, friends, whoever you live this life with?  Give it a try.  Even if it's just the small sentiment of "You can do it."  Or you could try out my Mom's version: "Go, fight, win!" (Cheerleader moves optional.  But they sure add to the positive effect...at least when my Mom does them...)

Try it out.  Encourage someone you love.  Then make it a habit.


P.S. This is my 150th post.  Cool.

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