September 12 - National Day of Encouragement

nPosted on September 12, 2019

nWay back in the mid-“aughts” (the 2000s), a group of high school students were attending a leadership forum at Harding University. They were asked to come up with solutions to some of the problems young people faced at that time.

nOne problem these students identified was a lack of encouragement. The solution they came up with was a day to focus on encouraging one another.

nThe date they selected was September 12. The horrific events of September 11, 2001 (just a few years before this leadership forum) made that day one of hurt and confusion – so the next day was the perfect day to remember that coming together, encouraging one another, and hope are important.

By 2007, the mayor of a city in Arkansas had adopted this idea and declared 9/12/07 to be a Day of Encouragement. The Governor of Arkansas liked the idea and dubbed September 12 the State Day of Encouragement in Arkansas that same year. In 2011, the Senate passed a resolution declaring the special day to be nationwide, and George W. Bush signed the resolution in time for 9/12/11.

nThe Day of Encouragement website states that the theme in 2017 was words of encouragement:

n“In a time when words are so often used to tear people down and beat them up, let’s choose to use words to encourage, to uplift and to love.

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“When words encourage, rather than discourage, we take a step in the right direction. When words encourage, people smile. When words encourage, the future is that much brighter.”

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