“Your Daily Dose” is a quick two minute read packed with bite-sized wisdom from all the great teachers. But you could also choose to turn it into something more… a powerful daily practice for personal growth. Give it a try!
A message from today’s meditation:
The world that we live in, can sometimes feel like a bit of a battleground. There’s so much happening in the world that feels immoral and unjust, that it’s easy to get caught up in the negativity, to define ourselves by what we oppose rather than what we aspire to.
If you want to be happy, don’t define yourself by what you hate. Don’t define yourself by what you are in opposition to. You’re setting yourself up for a never ending war that will take much more of your energy than what it will return. Decide what you are FOR, and put all your energy behind THAT! Be pro-things, it’s more fun anyway! Be the cheerleader for everyone who’s trying hard, and see this energy multiply.
“It may be important to great thinkers to examine the world, to explain and despise it. But I think it is only important to love the world, not to despise it, not for us to hate each other, but to be able to regard the world and ourselves and all beings with love, admiration and respect.” – Hermann Hesse
“Happiness IS love, nothing else. A human who is capable of love is happy.” – Hermann Hesse
“… gentleness is stronger than severity, water is stronger than rock, love is stronger than force.” – Hermann Hesse
Why not celebrate this Friday by giving a shout-out to someone who’s trying really hard? Be a cheerleader and use your energy to infect those around you in the BEST way!
Compliment a stranger, help a colleague, or simply listen attentively to a friend. Small acts of generosity can have a profound impact. Consciously celebrate the successes of others. Share their joy, and let them know you believe in them.
This isn’t about ignoring problems or living in denial – it’s about recognizing that solutions emerge more readily from a foundation of support and encouragement than from a position of constant opposition. When we become the person who sees potential, celebrates effort, and believes in others’ capacity for growth, we become a force of positive transformation.
Affirmations to turn you into a multiplier of good energy:
- “I choose to define myself by what I support, not what I oppose.”
- “My energy multiplies when I become a cheerleader for others.”
- “I celebrate the efforts of others as enthusiastically as I celebrate my own.”
- “Today I will be someone’s reason to believe in themselves.”
Imagine a world where we are all cheerleaders, rooting for each other’s success. What if we channeled our energy into uplifting and inspiring those around us? Instead of dwelling on what’s wrong, let’s focus on what’s right, what’s possible, and what’s beautiful. When we shift our perspective from opposition to affirmation, we create a ripple effect of positivity that can transform our lives and the world around us.
Happy Friday!
– pierre –
Today’s LIVE meditation is: Sharing love.
Today’s LIVE meditation
https://youtu.be/2UxAYS3e-MI 2025
https://youtu.be/AZYPd2qF14g 2024
https://youtu.be/1B1IkD8p1-A 2023
https://youtu.be/6gjJqJ-ZGEM 2022
Practice the “Daily Dose”
Let’s put it into practice! Choose what works for you – daily, once a week or whenever inspiration strikes. Putting pen to paper wires the neural pathways that will create your new habits.
1 – Affirmation
Write down your favourite affirmation on a sticky note and place it somewhere that you’ll be able to see it the whole day.
- “I choose to define myself by what I support, not what I oppose.”
- “My energy multiplies when I become a cheerleader for others.”
- “I celebrate the efforts of others as enthusiastically as I celebrate my own.”
- “Today I will be someone’s reason to believe in themselves.”
2 – A moment of reflection
Use today’s question as a journal prompt. If you don’t have the time to sit down and write, just take a moment to reflect on your response.
The Ripple Effect of Cheerleading: Think about a time when someone believed in you or cheered you on during a difficult moment. Describe that experience and how it affected you—not just in that moment, but in the days, weeks, or even years that followed. How did their encouragement change your relationship with yourself or your approach to challenges? Now reflect on opportunities where you could be that person for someone else. Who in your life might benefit from your genuine support and encouragement? What specific actions could you take to be their cheerleader?
3 – Quotes to share
Send a quote to someone who needs it, or share them all on social media to spread the good vibes!
4 – Q&A for deeper learning
Read through the questions and answers and write down at least one “aha moment” that clicked for you.
1. Q: Isn’t being a “cheerleader” just toxic positivity? How is this different from ignoring real problems?
A: Being a cheerleader isn’t about ignoring problems or pretending everything is perfect. It’s about choosing where to focus your energy for maximum impact. Instead of defining yourself by what you oppose, you identify what you want to support and put your energy there. You can acknowledge problems while simultaneously championing solutions, supporting people who are working toward change, and celebrating progress. The key difference is that your identity and energy come from what you’re building up, not what you’re tearing down.
2. Q: How do I shift from being defined by opposition to being defined by what I support?
A: Start by examining your current language and thoughts. Notice when you define yourself as “anti-” something versus “pro-” something. For example, instead of “I’m against inequality,” try “I’m for justice and equal opportunity.” Then take concrete action: volunteer for causes you believe in, support businesses that align with your values, or simply celebrate people who are making positive changes. The shift happens gradually as you redirect your energy from fighting against things to building up what you value.
3. Q: What if someone doesn’t deserve my encouragement or support? Should I still be their cheerleader?
A: Being a cheerleader doesn’t mean supporting harmful behavior or enabling negative patterns. It means looking for genuine efforts and authentic attempts at growth. You can be a cheerleader for someone’s potential while setting healthy boundaries around their current behavior. Sometimes the most powerful form of cheerleading is believing in someone’s capacity to change while not accepting their current harmful actions. The goal is to encourage the best in people while protecting your own wellbeing.
4. Q: How can I maintain this positive energy when the world feels so overwhelming and negative?
A: The article suggests that energy multiplies when you become a cheerleader rather than fading when you’re constantly in opposition. Start small—find one person each day to encourage genuinely. Notice how this affects your own energy levels. Create boundaries around negative media consumption and seek out stories of people making positive changes. Remember that your sphere of influence is where you can make the most difference, and focusing there will help you feel more empowered and less overwhelmed.
5. Q: What does Hermann Hesse mean by “gentleness is stronger than severity”?
A: Hesse is pointing to the paradoxical power of gentle approaches. Water, over time, can carve through the hardest rock not through force, but through persistence and gentle, consistent action. In human relationships, gentleness often achieves what force cannot—it opens people’s hearts, creates trust, and invites genuine change. Severity and force often create resistance and defensiveness, while gentleness creates space for growth and transformation. This doesn’t mean being weak or permissive, but rather approaching challenges with compassion and wisdom.
6. Q: How do I know if I’m genuinely being supportive or just people-pleasing?
A: The key difference lies in intention and boundaries. Genuine cheerleading comes from a place of authentic care and belief in others’ potential—it energizes you because you’re aligned with your values. People-pleasing comes from fear, the need for approval, or avoiding conflict, and it typically drains your energy. A genuine cheerleader can celebrate others’ successes without losing their own sense of self, can offer honest feedback when appropriate, and maintains healthy boundaries. If you find yourself exhausted, resentful, or losing your own identity, you may have crossed into people-pleasing territory.
7. Q: Can this cheerleader approach really create lasting change, or is it just feel-good philosophy?
A: Research in positive psychology shows that supportive environments genuinely enhance performance, creativity, and resilience. When people feel encouraged and believed in, they’re more likely to take risks, persist through challenges, and achieve their goals. The “cheerleader effect” creates upward spirals—as you encourage others, they’re more likely to succeed, which creates more positive outcomes to celebrate, which builds more positive energy. Additionally, this approach is sustainable because it energizes rather than depletes you. Unlike opposition-based approaches that can lead to burnout, being a cheerleader for positive change creates renewable energy that can sustain long-term transformation efforts.