I am Jackie Stanley… Thanks so much for taking the time to tour the Dictionary of Encouragement….

This dictionary is not like other dictionaries…

The book has over 2000 entries. Each entry is… Defined in a way that will reassure you - or - Incorporated in a sentence that will support you Cited in a quotation that will encourage you.

I created this book with a specific purpose… It is a tool that is designed to support you in defining who you are outside the context of your circumstances.

ARE NOT YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES!!! ALTHOUGH IT DOESN’T ALWAYS FEEL THAT WAY… YOU ARE NOT YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES!!!

Until we learn to define ourselves only in the context of what is ENDURING, POSITIVE AND POSSIBLE we will never be able to live the FULL, PURPOSEFUL AND ENLIGHTENED LIFE that we were created to live…

LET ME ILLUSTRATE THIS POINT…

Let’s start at the beginning…

When you made your grand entrance into the world -- before you were bombarded by circumstances -- people looked at you and said…

YOU ARE PERFECT.

They meant you should be “looked upon as good.” And by perfect they didn’t mean you were “without flaw.” They meant you should be “looked upon as good.”

They also said… YOU ARE PRECIOUS

And because you are “precious” the world knew that you must be treated with care and touched with a gentle hand.

They also said…

You are BEAUTIFUL…. and You are a MIRACLE…

THIS IS WHO YOU REALLY ARE… PERFECT. PRECIOUS. BEAUTIFUL. MIRACULOUS. THIS IS WHO YOU REALLY ARE…

because this is who you are… if you turn to the word “wellspring” in my dictionary you will find this gentle reminder…

Dig within. Within is the Well-spring of Good; And it is always ready to bubble up, if you just dig. Marcus Aurelius

because this is who you are if you were to turn to the word “precious” in my dictionary you will find this gentle reminder…

YOU ARE A PRECIOUS GIFT TO THIS WORLD.

MIRACULOUS BEAUTIFUL. PRECIOUS. Because this is who you are if you PERFECT. PRECIOUS. BEAUTIFUL. MIRACULOUS Because this is who you are if you turn to the word “beautiful” in my dictionary you will find this gentle reminder.

The you that is wonderfully you is BEAUTIFUL.

MIRACULOUS. BEAUTIFUL. PRECIOUS. Because this is who you are if PERFECT. PRECIOUS. BEAUTIFUL. MIRACULOUS. Because this is who you are if you were to turn to the word “miraculous” in my dictionary you will find this gentle reminder…

The you that is wonderfully you is MIRACULOUS.

Eventually you leave the hospital …time passes… and you forget who you are…

One day… You check the balance in your bank account…

But you are not any of these things… And because your account is overdrawn or because you have less money than the people next door… you forget who you are and instead you start telling yourself stupid stuff like “I am broke” “I am poor” or “I am not enough.” But you are not any of these things…

in my dictionary you will be reminded that… If you would look up the word “wealth” in my dictionary you will be reminded that… WISDOM OUTWEIGHS WEALTH. Sophocles

Wisdom is knowing that your value can’t be measured in dollars and cents.

Or, you can look up the word “rich” in my dictionary and be reminded that… It is better for you to be free from fear and lying upon a pallet, than to have a golden couch and a rich table and be full of trouble. George Bernard Shaw

Because the truth is… what you have inside your heart is far more important than what you have in the bank.

More time passes…

One day… you step on the bathroom scale…

And because you weigh more than you did 10 years ago or because you weigh more than your neighbor weighs… you forget who you are and start telling yourself stupid stuff like “I am fat” “I am ugly” and “I am unattractive.”

While it may be true that you need to lose weight… you are not any of these things.. Because the scale does not define you.

You are still… Perfect. Precious. Beautiful. Miraculous.

GIRTH DOES NOT DETERMINE DESTINY. That’s why if you turn to the word “girth” in my dictionary you will find this gentle reminder… GIRTH DOES NOT DETERMINE DESTINY.

finds himself loses his misery. Matthew Arnold And if you turn to the word “misery” you will be reminded that your weight is not the true source of your misery… Resolve to be thyself and know, that he who finds himself loses his misery. Matthew Arnold

Forgetting who you are is what makes you miserable…

More time passes…

One day… the person you have loved forever decides to ride off into the sunset without you…

But you are not any of these things…. And because your friends and family think you should have dumped him long time ago… you become convinced that you are “stupid” “dumb” and “unlovable.” But you are not any of these things….

Your unpleasant circumstances make you forget that we all make mistakes… That’s why when you turn to the word “unpleasant” in my dictionary you will be reminded that…

There are no mistakes. The events we bring upon ourselves, no matter how unpleasant, are necessary in order to learn what we need to learn; whatever steps we take, they’re necessary to reach the places we’ve chosen to go. Richard Bach

define who you are, you DOUBT everything… When you allow your circumstances to define who you are, you DOUBT everything… You DOUBT whether you can improve your finances. You DOUBT whether you can lose weight. You DOUBT whether you can find true love. You DOUBT whether you can make your dreams come true.

You feel ENCOURAGED because you are perfect. But… when you define who you are… YOU DOUBT NOTHING… You feel ENCOURAGED because you are perfect. You feel ENCOURAGED because you are precious. You feel ENCOURAGED because you are beautiful. You feel ENCOURAGED because you are a miracle.

you understand that nothing That’s why when you look up the word “you” in my dictionary you will be reminded that… When you realize who you are, you understand that nothing can stop you from becoming that person. Christine Lincoln

When you define who you are… not only can nothing stop you from becoming that person… nothing can stop you from doing big things in the world.

Consider Mother Teresa… This remarkable woman devoted herself to feeding the poorest of the poor…

This is how Mother Teresa defined herself… I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending the world a love letter.

If you are moved by her words…. Be encouraged….

Because once you learn to define who you are in terms of what is positive and possible, your self-definition will be no less eloquent or empowering.

Thanks so much for your time… Please email this presentation to your family and friends…