The other day when kids were coming around for Halloween in our little town of Lake Dallas, Texas, I saw our former assistant preacher. It was so good to see her—it had been almost a year. She had received a new assignment last June and now preached about 50 miles away. After our hug, I asked, “How are you doing? How’s your new church?”
She broke into a huge smile and said, “Attendance has doubled since I got there. I’m so happy. They treat me like a rock star.” I replied, “This was a good change. Everyone needs to work and live in a place that treats them like a star.”
So many times we just put up with a job or a friendship that brings us down instead of lifting us up. We sometimes allow a supervisor, friend, sibling, or spouse to continually rain on our spirit, feeling of self-worth, or excitement about life. In sports psychology, they tell coaches to use positive reinforcement because negative comments drop performance in most individuals.
We may not be able to control what others do or say, but we can decide whether we will stay or leave. If we stay, we can put down boundaries or try to negotiate a better situation with more support and less stress. There are times when having an exit strategy is our only option.
Life is too short and precious to remain in high stress situations for long. People I respect with strong back bones and good mental health don’t do it for long and I keep thinking they must know what’s best.
Supporting others around us is part of the equation too. We also need to give back positive support, respect, and energy. How many people have you complimented today? It goes both ways.
We feel like we can take on the world when we feel good because someone treated us like a rock star.