by
Gloria
Boone
Are you an encouraging person? Do you look for the good qualities in other people? Do you look for a positive outcome in any situation?
Many years ago, I read a book by Joyce Landorf Heatherly, Balcony People. This book changed my personal mission to one of being what she calls a “balcony person.” What is a “balcony” person? These are the people who sit in the balcony of your life, encouraging you. They are the people you can count on to build you up. They see, and point out to you and others, your good qualities.
The opposite of balcony people, according to Joyce, are the basement people in your life. They pull you down. They point out all your faults. They gossip about you to others.
I’m not giving a review of her book here. I’m just using it as an example of one resource I’ve used over the years to help me learn to be an encourager to others.
That doesn’t mean that I have times when other people baffle me and I just have to run disturbing situations and exchanges with someone I can trust. This would be someone who is known to also be an encourager. If I trust that person, I know that person will lovingly point out my misconceptions of said situation. Or this trusted friend will encourage me by pointing out my ability to handle a disturbing exchange of words.