I’m a cheerleader. Usually when you think of a cheerleader, you picture the Hollywood version…really pretty, blonde, a little bitchy, clothes that are way too tight, and kinda slutty because she’s had sex with half the football team. I know what you’re thinking…and you’re absolutely right. I’m not blonde.😁 But, there’s another kind of cheerleader that I’m talking about. The kind that I’ve learned to become really good at and also really appreciate in my life. This is the kind of cheerleader that whenever you share a new idea or dream with them, no matter how brilliant or ridiculous it may sound, the first thing they do is grab their imaginary pom poms and start cheering you on.
Sometimes it’s a simple “Yay! You can do it!” accompanied by a pair of perfectly timed jazz hands. Sometimes it’s a full blown cheer routine complete with a bullhorn, tumbles, dance moves, high kicks and basket tosses(Bring it on! It’s already been broughten!)
You see, the thing is, if you have a choice between being a cheerleader and being a negative Nancy, I say always choose cheerleader. Is it really that hard to yell out “you can do it!” and put up some jazz hands to encourage someone?
When a friend or loved one comes to you all excited to share a new idea for a life change, career change, or an unrealized dream they have; be the cheerleader. There are enough Negative Nancy’s out there in the world just ready to pounce and pick apart every idea, thought, and/or dream anyone has. And that just sucks the life, hope, and any kind of positivity right out of a person.
For example, I would never have had the courage to start this blog, get up on a stage in New York and read my writings, or even make the big leap to move to Spain if I had been surrounded by a squad of Negative Nancy’s. Instead, I would’ve gotten the “What??? Why are you doing that?” or “You think your writing is that good?” or “God, that’s just too scary. Are you sure?” And just like that, I would’ve gone from “hmmm…that sounds like a cool idea. I wonder if I should try.” straight to “Nope. Nevermind. Not gonna do it.” But over the years I’ve mad a conscious effort to surround myself with high kickers and basket tossers. And because of that, I have continued to be fearless and try new things and move to new places.
My philosophy that I really try hard to live by is this: whenever someone shares an idea or dream with me; unless this idea or dream is likely to cause them or others bodily harm, or cause them to lose all of their money, and/or cause me to lose money, I choose to grab my pom poms and prepare to do some jazz hands. And, if I need to, I will plan out some majorly choreographed cheer routines. I may think the idea or dream is completely weird or ridiculous but they don’t need to know that. There are way fewer things in life to get excited about these days, so let them be excited.
It could go something like this, a friend comes to me and says that she wants to become a contortionist and start a photo blog where she travels the world contorting her body into different weird spaces. Now, in my head I may think, “What the hell? That is the weirdest thing I’ve heard.” But, she’s in front of me, giddy and excited. So, I pack my reservations away and I pick up the pom poms, roll out the jazz hands, do a high kick and get the cheers going. Now, I may say to someone else on the side(I am southern afterall), “That is so weird. I have no idea how that’s gonna work but I wanna see what happens.” At the end of the day, I never want to be anyone’s dream killer. No matter how many dreams a person may have, I choose not to be the dream killer.
In my life I have a lot of cheerleaders. And from the bottom of my heart I thank all of you the constant cheers. Without you, I would never have been able to try half of the things I have and would never have been able to maintain the courage to move to Spain. So thank you!!
Until next time….High Kick and Jazz Hands!
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