Encouraging Yourself

Dear Bloggers,

You know that great friend that you have?  You know the one!  The one that will lift you up when you're feeling down, affirm your greatness when you're questioning your own abilities, and talk you off of your emotional ledge when you feel as though you've talked yourself into a tizzy?

Well, that's me, and most likely you as well (I like to think that the people who read my blog are nice people, not ultimate douchebags).  I always find the dynamic of being able to help someone with either just listening, or helping them to maneuver their own way through their emotional hills to be an empowering experience;  but also a sad one at the same time.

For the life of me I'll never fully understand why some of the very intelligent and encouraging people in my life will doubt their own abilities to greatness.  I find myself with the desire to have them look in the mirror or their past work and let them see all the things that I see.  Why can't you see how great you are? 

It's not until having one of the many talks with my sister Kelli that I realized that I was doing the same thing to myself.  I'm going out on a limb with my life and my career and hoping, praying, and working toward getting to my goal.  But, I have my moments of wanting to stop, because of the fear that I'm not good enough, or "how could I compete with the same people that I look up to?"  Fearing the silence that comes with waiting on either an acceptance or a rejection, I found myself needing the reassurance of the people close to me that I can do this;  I am worthy of pursuing this dream, and being reminded that I am good at what I do.  Why can't you see how great you are?

I realized that though I'm a great friend to others, I was an ultimate douchebag to myself (...that felt very weird typing that out...).  I would be so loving and caring to my friends' and family's problems, but with my own I would be the person who would not only bring up my insincerities, but encourage them.

I know that as humans we have a tendency to be harder on ourselves than anyone else, but sometimes we need to allow ourselves some grace.  We need to know that we are worthy of reaching, seeking, and accepting our dreams.  You were giving that drive, that motivation, that talent for a reason, and it's not fair to yourself to ignore it.  It's also not fair to me to tell everyone else but me.

I have a date with my mirror.

Stay Encouraged!!