How To Encourage Someone To Never Give Up In Difficult Times

Give your dearest folks a leg up with gestures, for you mustn't let them be in the doldrums.

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• Aug 29, 2023

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Knowing how to encourage someone going through a rough patch is a great quality. Your ability to give the much-needed support, both mentally and emotionally, can help people get over their negative thoughts. But not everyone possesses that quality, right? So, how to boost a person’s morale and self-confidence? This article explores the best ways you can follow to encourage a person and bring them back on track. Keep reading.

In This Article

Best Ways To Encourage Someone

A women encouraging her fellow colleague

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So, how do you embolden someone to keep going? This might sound relatively easy, but it requires a skill set to encourage someone and persuade them to never give up. It is deemed an art that does not entail any form of patronizing. If you are trying to up the game in bettering someone, here are the ways and skills that you need to inculcate within yourselves. Here are some incredible ways on how to give encouragement to someone and convince them to keep going.

Learn The Love Language Of People: This would help you understand how they consider love and other emotions. Observe the ways concerning how they communicate and convey their feelings and woes. Most importantly, learn about their perspectives on endearment and love. Since emotional expectations and fulfillments vary from one to another, it is better to understand the individual’s needs first so that you can address their issues and help them in dealing with the same.
Share Thoughts That Are Characterized By Encouragement: You must not hold yourself back from trying your best to rally others. Express positive thoughts if you feel they would stimulate and invigorate the people in need to become better. People going through a difficult period need to be actively listened to more than encouraged. They need someone to empathize with their feelings.

Praises And Appreciation: While listening and talking to people, you must note their achievements and interests inside your mind. Be witty enough to appreciate them with small and direct praises.
Asking Before Offering Help: When someone is hurt or disappointed, offer them the space to respond to your help. Some might not be quite ready to seek help as they need to grieve or process the absence of something in their life. Do not prompt or prod answers from them. Phrases like “Would you like me to help?” or “How can I help?” are simple yet affirming questions to ask before deciding to help on your own.

Send A Note Valuing Their Existence: A handwritten note or virtual message can help the person cheer up while encouraging them to stay positive through thick and thin.
Celebrate The Achievements And Victories: This is one of the best ways to encourage or fire up one another in any relationship. While you do this for every small achievement and milestone, this will ensure a healthy bond and make the counterpart feel better. Celebrate your victories with a coffee or meal.

Quick Tip

You basically need to learn to read their little ticks. Sometimes, they may look extremely broken but they really need some solitude so they can let it all out. It’s a blurry line so stay around but do not impose yourself.

How To Encourage A Person Who Is Depressed To Stay Hopeful

A woman encouraging her depressed friend to stay hopeful,

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If you have someone you know who is depressed, learn how to approach, help, and deal with them.

Don’t Force Them: While dealing with them, don’t ask, “Are you okay?” as they might say they are fine, which they might not be in real life. Instead, leave them with a statement saying, “I am here if you are ready to talk.”
Ask, “Is There Anything That I Can Do To Help You?”: People with depression need someone to inspire and push them to move forth in life. You can ask them specifically about how you can help them. You can pick up good food for them or leave a text asking them if they are feeling better.

Ask Them If They Are Feeling Better And Managing Well: This way, they will open up to you about their treatment and its effectiveness. Asking about their treatment plan will facilitate you in sticking to their treatment plan, and you will be able to help them out. Acknowledge the small changes and progress they make.
Tell Them That You Will Be There For Them: Loneliness looms over a depressed individual. Be there for them, so they don’t feel the urge to isolate themselves. Tell them firmly that they are not alone. Assure them that you will always be there for them no matter what the situation is.

Be Specific About How Important And Significant They Are To Your Life: Make them feel appreciated and loved. Let them know that they are wanted and essential to your life. Tell them how their existence comforts you.
Show Them How Proud You Are Of Them: Your words are not meant to cure a person suffering from depression; however, they can help them to a great extent. Tell them you are sorry for what they are going through, and remind them that you will be there for them through their life’s crisis as much as you can be.

How To Encourage Someone Who Is Struggling

Woman encouraging her friend who is struggling

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The key points about how to encourage someone who has been struggling are:

Let Them Know That Seeking Help Is Not Wrong:Many believe that asking for help weakens a person. So, give them an example of a time when you or someone had sought help, and that eventually helped in healing.
Validate Their Emotions: Your priority is to suggest different modalities on healing as we can not make another person do/say anything. Make them understand that seeking professional help might be an outlet to heal. It is also important to find the truth in what they say. Challenge their convictions that imply that nobody understands them. However, while therapy seems ideal – it also is expensive. You may instead help them initially locate places that are less expensive.

Be A Good Listener: Before becoming a good listener, make sure that you are patient enough to hear everything they will vent out. Keep your judgments aside and let them speak as and however they feel.
Related: 10 Incredible Benefits Of Spending Time With Family
Spend Quality Time With Them: Assure them that you have time for them and urge them to engage in relaxing activities such as yoga, swimming, and meditation. Join them and have a good time together. This will boost their mood and keep their internal thermometer more balanced.
Offer Praise:A praise would ensure that they feel good about themselves. Even after going through loss, if they are functioning efficiently, they deserve praise for that. Just reassure them that they are doing great.

Do Some Research And Suggest Resources:These include a range of mental health centers and specialists, including psychologists, counselors, and psychiatrists. Assist them in contacting those who are trained in treating and handling mental issues.

Quick Tip

Remember they are not at their best and a lot of their concerns may seem unnecessary to you. Understand that they need to process their situation in their own way. Do not lose your cool on them. You do not want to be another source of their misery.

How To Encourage Someone Who Has Lost A Loved One

A woman is holding hands to console and encourage her friend who has lost their close one

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Grieving is an essential part of healing. Accepting the hard truth makes one stronger, although nothing can replace or compensate for that loss. Just make sure to be there for someone who has lost their loved ones and drive them to positivity.

Avoid Skipping The Topic: Listen to the subject of their loss and let them vent.
“I’m So Sorry For Your Loss”:This is very straightforward and basic to say to the one who is grieving. Don’t feel bad about saying this.
Acknowledging The Memories:You have got to let them share the memories they had with the late person.

Offer Assurance:Assure them that you will be there for them in times of need. A simple gesture of empathy will make the person feel at ease.
Help Them Move On:This is not going to be forceful. And never say, “You need to move on.” You might never know how long it would take for them to heal. Just be supportive and listen to them while they grieve; they will feel better gradually.
Don’t Let Them Overindulge In Smoking And Drinking Out Of Grief: Remind them that over-indulging in behaviors that will make them feel worse later on is never a good solution. But how do you stimulate someone to stop smoking and drinking to escape the pain and grief? Motivate them to join other productive activities so that they can lead a healthy lifestyle.

Quick Tip

You may feel at a loss for words. And that’s okay. No words are necessary as they’re probably not even listening. Just be a warm presence near them and help them with basic chores and responsibilities they might not find the strength to perform themselves.

Tips To Encourage Someone

Two women smiling while they talk to uplift their mood.

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Here are a few ways on how to spur someone to talk about themselves, how do you say encouraging words to someone, and how you hearten someone to stay strong.

Smile:A smile spreads happiness to others as well.
Listen and Acknowledge:Be patient while listening to them and acknowledge their thoughts and opinions as well.

Observe Them And Catch Them Putting In Effort: Keep a close eye on them and when you notice them putting even the slightest of efforts, let them know about it and appreciate them.
Share Optimistic Perspectives:Share positive thoughts about things and everything; however, don’t resort to toxic positivity.
Augment Their Morale: This can be achieved by appreciating them in front of others. Just remember that the praises must be genuine and not exaggerated in any way.
Bring Them A Pet:A pet is supposed to take away worries. Bring them a pet, and you will see them healing faster than you had anticipated. But make sure they are okay with it first.

Infographic: How To Spread Positivity

While a single negative thought can ruin the environment, adopting a positive mindset helps deal with unsettling situations and thoughts. In the following infographic, we have shared a few things to practice in your everyday life to spread positive vibes and stay motivated. Check it out!

A person going through difficult times is often sensitive and vulnerable. Everybody else appears happy to them, and they feel like no one gets them. Most things others say to console them usually end up triggering more negativity. At the same time, they need comfort from other people the most in those times. You need to understand where they are coming from and be careful with your words. In this article, we have covered how to encourage someone and uplift their mood while considering their predicament. You do not need to fill every moment of silence with words. By regularly checking on them, giving them personal space to heal, and being there for them, you can make a difference.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you encourage and appreciate others?

You may appreciate and encourage someone by writing a meaningful letter or note, publicly praising them, or sharing some of your cherished experiences with them.

What is a good quote to encourage someone?

The following quote by N.R. Walker may help you encourage and energize someone. “Whenever you find yourself doubting how far you can go, remember how far you have come. Remember everything you have faced, all the battles you have won, and all the fears you have overcome.”

What are some effective ways to boost someone’s confidence?

Some effective ways to boost someone’s confidence are by offering sincere compliments, providing them constructive feedback, and offering support and encouragement to them when they need it.

How do I show someone that I believe in them and their abilities?

Showing someone that you believe in them is an important way to build their trust and confidence in you. Some ways to show someone you believe in them and their abilities are by listening to them actively, being present for them whenever they need, and celebrating their successes no matter how small or big it is.

How can I help someone build resilience and overcome setbacks?

Building resilience is a process that takes time and effort and setbacks are a natural part of the process. Some ways to help someone build resilience and overcome setbacks are by reframing their negative thoughts, helping them set achievable goals, offering emotional support, and encouraging self-care.

Key Takeaways

When a person is going through a tough time in their life, listening to their thoughts and showing appreciation for their achievements can be the boost of confidence that person needs at that moment.
Individuals struggling with depression often isolate themselves because being around people feels like too much energy.
Many individuals struggle with so many obstacles in life. Listening to them patiently while they express their emotions and spending time with them doing some fun activities shows them you care and motivates them to fight their problems.
Smiling, offering assurance, and sharing positive thoughts may help someone who is grieving the loss of a loved one.

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You wish to encourage someone by showing genuine interest in their success and offering words of support and affirmation. Watch this video to learn to properly encourage someone.