Day 302

3/14/23

Lilly showered her friends with love...and a little golden hair... at Walker today. That girl adores her seniors! Ranger headed to Mercy after that and was quite the star!

As we made the rounds to visit patients, staff and visitors, one interaction stuck in my mind. A visitor got down to "Ranger Level" and received a few licks along with repeated High Fives. After a bit, Ranger's new friend said, "I was pretty sad today, but Ranger made it all better. It is almost as if he was my cheerleader to let me know I was doing alright...to keep fighting!" Ranger is a great cheerleader and would probably make a pretty good Life Coach as well!

That cheerleader comment made me think of the cheerleaders in my world. I have had one or two in the past and now am lucky enough to have loved ones who grab those pompoms and cheer me on!

My first cheerleader was my dad. I never heard him utter the words, "I don't think you can do that." He was the world's best listener and would always bolster my dreams with his ability to make me believe my dreams were possible. When he passed in 2001, I mourned my father, best friend and cheerleader. That was definitely a challenging time.

As the years continued to place obstacles or opportunities in my path, I missed his wisdom and compassionate support. I decided that I was on my own and needed to pick up the pompoms for myself. Sometimes, it is rather difficult to cheer yourself on when the self-doubts tend to make you pause.

The voice "within" has a real power to tell you "I don't think that is possible." That inner voice, who I have named Doubter, has such an influence over my decisions. When I make a plan, dream a dream or simply set a small goal, Doubter appears. I imagine the conversation goes something like this,

Me: I just KNOW I can rollerblade this summer. It has been a few years, but I was pretty good!

Doubter: Well...you could break and arm or a leg. Then who will take care of your dogs, hmmmm?

Me: I can't wait to plant flowers and vegetables in our raised garden boxes this spring!

Doubter: Remember last year? Nothing really grew the way you hoped. I don't think you have much of a green thumb.

Me: I want to take up the guitar again. I used to play and loved it!

Doubter: Well...the strings are probably too old and your fingers are going to hurt. AND...you don't have much time for that.

I bet you get the picture! It is so easy to be dissuaded or discouraged by the Doubters within us all. There is a way to help silence that voice or, at least turn down the volume!

When I realized I was having this inner battle of wills, I finally decided that the worst-case scenario might be that I would not find success in some of my dreams. Instead of listening in rapt attention to Doubter, I still hear the voice Discouragement, but respond by saying, "If I don't even try, I will never know if I might find success." Even failures teach us something.

So, now, I try to be my own cheerleader. It really works most of the time. For that, I am grateful. When my cheering is not loud enough, I can hear my new cheerleaders joining in the chant of success. My family (Mac is the loudest), my friends (Ms. Texas never forgets her pompoms), and my dad (He is never far away from my heart.). With my fans in the stands and a gentle hand over Doubters mouth, I tend to go after my hopes and dreams.

Evidently, after our encounter this morning, Ranger already knows the cheers!