When you look around the halls, you can see not everyone is walking with smiles on their faces. You may wonder what may be going through their head, but the majority of the time, you do nothing about it. On the receiving end, having someone go out of their way to tell you a simple word of encouragement can make your day or even your week. If you’re the encouraging one, it can bring you joy to see a smile on one’s face.

Everyone needs encouragement. You never know what someone may be going through in others’ lives. Teenagers seem to focus more on the negative than the positive. Not everyone receives words of encouragement often. 

The depression rate in teenagers has increased, which has also increased the suicide rate. Statistics show there is approximately 20 percent of teens that experience depression and about 15 percent suffer from symptoms at any given moment. Of all depressed teens, only 30 percent are being treated for it. Suicide is the third-leading cause of death for people ages 15 to 24, with a teen taking their life every 100 minutes. 

 Many students are likely to struggle with depression and have had thoughts of taking their life. We could change that by giving simple words of encouragement to those around you. Sometimes all someone needs to get through the day or week are words of encouragement.

Sofiya Saddique once said, “Our choices add up to the life we live. Be someone who encourages and uplifts. Keep encouraging and motivating. Your words may be the only pillars of strength for someone who is pulling themselves up to stand again and lean on. Upliftment is the utmost you can do to make a nobody to somebody. Magnify their strengths, not weakness for which you will be cherished.”

We are told in different places throughout the Bible to encourage those around us, one being in 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11. “For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”

You never know how much of a difference you could make unless you step out of your comfort zone, encourage them. Even something as simple as smiling at someone, or recognizing them on something that they did well. There is someone out there hurting, it could be the person next to you. They feel they are down to their last dime and that they have nowhere to go, or that’s what they think. Whether you are their best bud or have never talked to them before, you could be the person that changes that if you go out of your way and give them a little encouragement.

With a simple word of encouragement, you could give someone the encouragement they need to get through the day, or even the week. You could be the one to make a difference.