I am writing feverishly on this early Monday morning because I need to get ahead of this one. You see, it is the National Day of Encouragement and what good would it do if I published this tonight? Sure, some readers might be able to scramble and send out some rushed words of encouragement to certain people. But the potential is so much greater if everyone, including my readers on the eastern time zone, has the whole day to take action.

Today is National Day of Encouragement–or–as some people like to call it, National Encouragement Day.

If you remember, a couple weeks ago I touted World Letter Writing Day. I can’t stress enough how powerful a written letter can be for a recipient and how therapeutic it can be for the sender. But sometimes it is imperative to get your message across in a slightly faster manner.

So today I challenge you to offer some encouragement to five people you know. A phone call, text message, email, DM, and other instantaneous modern communication methods are all acceptable. It is my guess you have some folks in mind who could benefit from some inspiration, a sincere compliment, or a kind word.

Maybe it is someone going through a tough trial in life. Perhaps it is someone struggling with the 9/11 anniversary. Or someone just mildly depressed that it is Monday or that their favorite NFL team lost yesterday.

In fact, it doesn’t even have to be someone navigating a rough patch. Reach out to anyone who inspires you or plays a big role in your life. Or, reach out to someone who inspires or plays a role in the life of someone else who you care deeply about.

I know I am using a gimmicky day as the impetus for making a small impact, but why not? Take a moment today to let someone know you are thinking about them. Have a great week. Don’t Blink.