Cheer for Yourself

 A few weeks ago, I was timekeeping for a minor hockey game in one of our local rinks. In this particular rink, the timekeeper booth is situated between the player benches...which means you can hear EVERYTHING that is said on the bench during the game.  One of the coaches for the Home team was very loud.  He did not have any amount of moderation or nuance to his tone...it was full volume, full blast, non-stop, straight-up yelling.  As you can imagine...It. Was. Annoying! 

Except, I realized something...gradually...through the din. I realized that at the top of his loud, rasping, incredibly irritating voice, he was yelling nice things...encouraging things to his team.  Things like:

"YOU`VE GOT THIS!!  

                             YOU CAN DO IT!  

                                                          DON`T GIVE UP!"

And when a player came back to the bench discouraged because he hadn't scored, the Coach bellowed to him: "IT’S OKAY...DON’T SWEAT IT...YOU’LL GET THE NEXT ONE!"

Whenever the team did score, he literally jumped up and down and clapped for his team...giving them a high-five as they skated in from their shift, and cheering loudly.  So excited, in fact, that my co-worker and I were sure he would either completely lose his voice or have a stroke before the game was over.  

Afterwards...when the Advil kicked in and my headache went away...I started thinking how great it was for those players to have a coach who was so supportive and encouraging...trust me, there are lots that aren’t like that...I hear them just as clearly.  And I felt just a little bit jealous, wishing I could have that in my own life...and, yes,  I know we all have family and friends who cheer for us and encourage us...but imagine having that all the time, for EVERYTHING you do...loud, hearty, unmitigated encouragement?

Instead we normally let ourselves listen to a barrage of unhelpful, non-stop negative content. I am certain that I’m not the only person that hears running commentary in my head all day long.  It usually sounds a bit like this:

"Oh, that was dumb!  Why did you do that?  Why did you say that?  Real smart, Sarah...real smart!  Wow. Just...wow!  No wonder your life is a disaster.  Stop talking.  Stop talking...stop right now...you are just making it worse.  What. An. IDIOT! "

BUT...What if we could change that...and tell ourselves only encouraging and positive things?  What if we cheered for ourselves, as loudly and enthusiastically as that coach did...telling ourselves not to give up. To keep going.  To take another shot.  

And let ourselves be happy and excited and celebrate every success, no matter how small.  

What would happen in our lives? I mean, obviously positivity and joy, and all the accompanying mental and physical benefits of those...but what else? 

Because if we cheer ourselves on and believe in ourselves, what wouldn’t be possible?

I think I might just try it...Yay me!  Go for it!  Well done, old chap. Jolly good!  

You try it now...I know you can do it!  You’ve got this!

Sincerely, 

Sarah