She had a secure job as a corporate account executive, But she really wanted to be a pastry chef. It would mean going back to school and borrowing money for rent and tuition.
Her neighbor, an elderly woman, told her, "Life is short, my dear. You must follow your dreams."
It’s been six years since she left her job. She now owns a trendy little coffee shop where the pastries are handmade and the customers constantly rave.
Imagine yourself being in a room filled with all the people who’ve ever inspired or mentored you. Include the elementary school teacher who said you were musical and recommended that your mother give you piano lessons; the gym teacher who knew you were capable of doing that impossible routine on the uneven parallel bars, and made you prove her right; the boss who persuaded you to write a book; and the friend who told everyone that you were a world-class attorney.
Each of us has people in our lives we can count on to make us feel good about ourselves. They believe in us, they tell us how important we are, and encourage us to persevere. These people are our cheerleaders.
What if all these people have secretly conspired to help us be the best we can be? What if each time we doubted our abilities, we could see them cheering us on? Could we find the strength in these words to get past our insecurities and fears? How could we harness the power of their positive words?
It helps to put their pictures where we’ll see them, and to put their words where we’ll read them. Eventually, we’ll even believe them! Now that’s a big, “Rah rah!”
Assemble Your Cheerleading Squad Materials: Large megaphone (from the local party or toy store), headshots of your cheerleaders, laminating sheet, glue stick
List all of the cheerleaders throughout your life. Include the ones whose voices led you to a new appreciation of self. How did their words or actions affect you, even years later? Now, list the others who have loved you unconditionally and are always there for you. Next, list all the positive words they’ve said to inspire you and make you feel special.
Download the cheerleaders’ bodies worksheet and print out as many copies as you need. Paste the head of your cheerleaders onto the bodies and assemble the squad. If you don’t have a photo of someone from your past, type his or her name by a face.
Next, download the captions bubble sheet. Handprint or typeset their inspirational words and cut and paste inside the caption bubbles.
Place your laminating sheet on top of the cheerleaders and the captions. Cut out the cheerleaders and captions, and attach to the megaphone with the glue stick.
Place your cheerleaders where you can see them. You will be amazed how powerful it is to see them all together. Whenever you need a power boost of confidence, listen to them cheer you on.
About the Author
Ellen Hanauer (www.ellenhanauer.com) is the co-author of Power Tools and Rituals: Offbeat Crafts for Women, and has run empowerment workshops and classes for women and girls of all ages. Her sculpture and installations have been exhibited nationally and her work is in the permanent collections of museums, corporations, and in private collections. She lives in Livingston, NJ with her husband, four kids, and a dog.
My curse is my gift. My nightmares, deep sensitivity, and emotional instability gives the best (and most uncomfortable) inspirations I could ever have. For me, art is passion - and visions are the mirror, which show my feelings and connect me with the rest of the world. Read More...
Assemble Your Cheerleading Squad
Ellen Hanauer (
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