Words of affirmation

This post is about my Dad and something he said that was truly encouraging and motivational.
But before I tell you what happened, I need to provide some background.

Are you familiar with a book called "The Five Love Languages" by Gary Chapman? I read it a couple of years ago, and I learned that there are different ways that people express and receive love. The five languages that Chapman outlines are the following: Words of affirmation, physical touch, gift giving, quality time, and acts of service. The author expands freely on what those different languages look like and how to use them. One of his main points in the book is that each person has a certain love language that is important to them, one type of treatment they receive that spells out love to them very clearly. Each person also has a default love language or two that is naturally theirs to give. For instance, my mom is really into serving people, but what she likes to receive is quality time with me, words of affirmation and thanks for all the work she does. A close friend of mine really appreciates gifts. Another friend loves nothing more than to have me talk to him. They overlap, and their are certain aspects of each love language that can be considered in order to love people the best way that they understand.
'Nuff said. This is where it plugs into my life.
I've been looking for a job for .... about three weeks. I've not been very active about it. I spent more time on things like this blog and several useless and fleeting endeavors of which I won't bother you with the details. Some of the underlying reasons that I've been lazy about it are my insecurity about approaching potential employers that I don't know and of not being successful... -the first time.
It was then that I called my dad. We talked about stuff at home and family objectives, and then I was just honest with him about my general laziness about my job pursuit. I told him that I'd felt insecure about it for the said reasons, and he responded that I should "sell myself big" without being dishonest. He said to tell them that I would be prompt, that I have an extreme commitment to working hard, that I would often stay late to get the job done, that they would find me covering for others and filling the gaps. To hear my dad, who knows my negative tendencies more than most, describe that type of profile about me was a huge emotional lift. I felt more loved in that 30 seconds then I had in a hundred gifts received or in many service acts directed to me. That wasn't all. It was extremely motivational. I spent more time that day in proactive, confident job searching then I had in almost a week before. His words of praise of the good parts about me were drying up the emotional insecurities and freeing me to rise to my potential.
That's the power of active love correctly related and directed.
I don't doubt that dad stumbled upon that particular love language by chance, or even by divine inspiration, but I know that each of us could do great good in the lives of those we know and love if we specifically direct our actions of love to them in the ways that they understand.
Thanks Dad,

Yore Truly