Are you a cheerleader over your life?

In other words, do you cheer yourself on because you believe in you and your goals?  Do you trust your talents and gift?  Are you investing time and money in you?   If you are having a difficult time in believing in your capabilities and talents, how do you expect others to believe in you?  It is all about perception!  People perceive you the way you look, feel and act.  If you have low self-esteem and move about doubting your talents, how do you expect others to think otherwise? 

Staying motivated can be challenging.  That is why you need to set parameters or guidelines so that you know how and when to proceed and why your actions will either help you to achieve your goals or miss the mark by a mile.  No matter where we are in the world, there are parameters or boundaries to observe.  If the roads that we drive didn’t have a line down the middle showing us where to drive, we would soon be making our own rules that could lead to death and disaster.  Parameters are a necessary part of life and order.  They guide our journey and help assure a safe passage.  When our boundaries are not clear, we tend to make our own rules and chaos ensues.  Whether we like it our not, we can only communicate clearly when we have specific parameters to follow because then we all have the same starting point and understand the rules of the game.

So again I ask you—Do you believe in yourself sufficiently to become your best cheerleader?  For example, I was recently at a meeting where I had to explain my business and what I do.  I always speak with passion because I like what I do and I believe in my talents and myself.  The gentlemen that I was speaking to commented that I really seem to be an accomplished person.  I said thank you and yes I am.  I was surprised at how I responded to his comments.  At first I felt a little embarrassed but then I realized that—I am accomplished in my work and I really enjoy what I am doing so why not agree.  That was not being boastful but simply acknowledging that I honor and respect my talents and gifts.  I want to be a cheerleader for my work and me; I realize that I have a message to share so why not share it with joy and enthusiasm.  I believe the same should hold true for you.  If you are passionate about your work and your life, why not express it in a pleasant manner.  Be enthusiastic about whom you are and what you have to offer to others.  If you have nothing to share or don’t feel that your life is worth cheering about, maybe you need to shift patterns and find your passion. 

Ways to become your own cheerleader are:

1. Give yourself a pep talk daily.  Say something inspiring to you that will bring a smile to your face.

2.  Surround yourself with positive thinking and like-minded people.  Avoid those individuals who are continually finding fault with life and its process.

3. Pat yourself on the back—If you have achieved a task or feat, celebrate—do something nice for you because that type of attitude improves your success rate as it motivates you to strive for more

4.  Gift yourself—If you worked hard and succeeded, reward yourself with a small gift that has meaning to you.  Even buying a bouquet of flowers or an ice cream cone sends the message to your mind and spirit that you are worth it. 

You are truly worth the effort—so why not cheer yourself on and mean it.  Your heart and your entire being for that matter will thank you for your love and appreciation.

Joan Marie Ambrose

Author, Creative Writer, Motivational Speaker