What If? - part two

Today has been a truly awesome day! It was a day completely full of music, fun and creativity - all in the presence of some of the most incredible people on the planet. I am one extremely blessed (and grateful!) girl.

So, I decided that I'd like to expand on some of the thoughts and ideas that I touched on in my last blog, 'What If?' In it, I questioned why we listen to the negative voices in our minds that tell us that we can't (or shouldn't) do certain things. We are so very quick to believe in and accept what we THINK are our limitations, but when someone pays us a compliment, we try to tell ourselves that whatever was said couldn't be true, or that the person who said it is somehow biased (or maybe he/she even 'wants something' from us). Why are we so quick to believe something negative and limiting about ourselves, and we're even quicker to dismiss it when someone says something positive about us and our talents?

For the record, I struggle with this myself. I am very quick to accept the thought that I'm not a good singer/songwriter or performer. However, when someone acknowledges what he/she see as my talent, I am even quicker to argue or resist in some way what is being said. I tell myself that the person giving the compliment is just being nice, or that he/she is biased and doesn't want to say anything to hurt my feelings.

Soooo, my question for you is this - do you have someone in your life who unconditionally loves, accepts and supports you? Someone you could consider your own personal cheerleader. Someone who encourages you every step of the way - no matter what you get involved with. Well, what would happen if you simply BELIEVED what that person says about you? No resistance, no arguing, no judging what he/she is saying - I mean, quite simply, you just take his/her word for it that you are wonderful and talented - and that the world is a much better place because YOU are in it. What would your life looked like if you chose to believe the GOOD things that someone you love and trust says about you? What if, for just one day, you chose to listen to (and believe) ONLY the good things that you're being told - and you simply just dismiss anything negative that crosses your mind? What would happen to you? How would your life change?

My choir director in college was this type of person for me. She was my own personal cheerleader and was just like family to me the entire time I was in school. She believed in me even (and especially) when I didn't believe in myself. She would pick me up and dust me off whenever I tried something that didn't work and, and, whenever I was struggling with something, she was right there beside me, telling me that I could do it (whatever 'it' was at the time didn't matter - she believed I could do anything).

I loved and trusted this woman SO much that, one day, I actually chose to start believing her. I knew that she saw something within me that I couldn't see myself. I felt that, if she cared enough to believe in me, maybe I could trust her and start believing in myself...even just a little bit. This made all the difference in my life. Thanks to my trust in her all those years ago, I have been able to step outside of my comfort zone countless times since then and do many things that I never would have believed possible.

I am still very close with this woman to this day - and she is STILL one of my biggest cheerleaders! I am so very grateful for her loving presence in my life. I can honestly say that I wouldn't be who I am today without it (or her)!

So again, I am going to ask YOU - what would your life look like if you chose to start believing YOUR biggest cheerleaders? What if those people see something within you that you can't see within yourself? What if they are RIGHT that you're wonderful and talented - and that you can do anything you put your mind to?

We all get to choose what to believe (about ourselves and others) - I'm just suggesting that maybe - just maybe - it's okay to believe the GOOD stuff.