Cheerleader for Kindness

Today I discovered my inner cheerleader, and she is amazing and kind!

I woke up today from a lovely dream and began to write about it in my journal. Years ago, I was taught that our dreams, whether pleasant or scary, are just messages from our subconscious and our psyche that need to be heard and understood by our conscious mind. I wanted to enjoy the warm feeling of my dream, not turn it into a therapy session. However, I am not one to shy away from therapy and understanding, so I did the dream writing, that I learned from my old therapist, because I thought, I might as well hear the message.

It turns out that my dream was not just a lovely walk with a friend, it was actually about my deep need to be seen and understood by myself. When I was a little girl, I was taught by my parents, through their words and actions, that I was wrong, selfish and bad if I listened to my own wants and needs. Essentially at a very young age I learned how to feel and be about others before I was about me. I learned to be codependent, always checking out before checking in. Maybe you don’t see the connection, I admit it is quite the leap. Bear with me and I promise I will explain! If you are curious about the dream writing exercise, you can find it in “Invisible Warfare” by Mona Miller, pages 296 through 301. I highly recommend reading the entire book as well.

So how does my dream writing experience connect to being a Cheerleader for Kindness? By processing my thoughts and feelings through writing, I discovered what I want and don’t want. I no longer want to be about others before I am about me. In other words, I want and need to be kind to me first and then to others. In order for me to live a life of kindness, I must see me first. I must understand me first. I must know me first. I must be loving and kind to me first.

How can I be my own Cheerleader for Kindness? By getting to know that little girl inside of me that was not allowed to be herself. By talking to her (me). By asking myself what I want first before I ask others what they want. I used to believe that I was selfish to think about me first, but I realize now, that it is not selfish, it is true, authentic and its me. From this place of empowerment, joy and authenticity, I can truly be kind!

After completing my writing and processing my hurt, sad and angry feelings, I was inspired to talk to my inner little girl and she said she wanted to play and dance and feel free. Are you familiar with the song “Cheerleader,” by OMI? I have young kids and remember hearing it a few times. I looked it up on YouTube and turned the volume all the way up and had myself a dance party in my pajamas. I moved and danced to the music with a freedom and joy that I have not felt in years. And one dance was not enough, so I replayed it all morning for myself and kept dancing. Dancing in the hallway dancing in the kitchen, and even dancing while doing my daughter’s hair for picture day. My daughter, of course, thought I was embarrassing (she is 12 in a few weeks, so everything I do is embarrassing to her) but soon she joined in and was dancing and singing along. A few minutes later, my son came in and danced while brushing his teeth. What joy I felt! And Guess what? The kindness was brimming over and out of me! What a beautiful moment! All from what I thought was a simple dream about a walk with a friend.

I challenge you to do the following:

1.Find a fun song that inspires you to be playful and be a kid.

2. Blast the volume and let yourself dance like no one is watching, in fact do it while no one is watching. Do it in front of a mirror and imagine the kid inside of you, be that sweet, simple, fun loving child we all are inside!

Have fun and be free and maybe a miracle will happen or you will be inspired or at the very least, feel some joy in this very busy, fast and sometimes unkind world. Let’s make this world kind through our inner cheerleaders and our joy.

Feel free to share the song that inspires you to be the joyful, free and childlike version of yourself. I hope you find your inner Cheerleader!

Thank you for reading!

Jenni