Monday 29 July 2013

Keeping it real...

I saw the most amazing thing this morning. I was stuck in traffic near a park for quite a while. I was watching this young man practising shooting hoops. He didn't just stand in one place while he threw the ball. Oh no, he was competing against an entire team. He was grabbing the ball, intercepting it from up high, turning his back so he could block the other player, fighting to get his arms up above the rest of the team. He was continually on the move and definitely the best player there...Actually, he was the only player there.
What I loved about watching him, was that he was living his dream. He wasn't just shooting hoops, he was 'in the game', in the zone' and 'in his dream'. He knew that people driving or walking by could see him, but he wasn't focused on what other people thought or said. His intent was completely on being the best basketball player ever.
As I drove off, I couldn't help thinking I should have paid more attention to what he looked like, so that when he achieves his dream, I will be able to say 'I knew he would!'
How often do we only air part of our dreams and aspirations, in case others make fun of us or tell us we're wrong? And how often do we just step boldly into our dream, without worrying or seeing what is happening on the outer limits?
...food for though, isn't it?

Friday 12 July 2013

Awesome is as Awesome Does

I want to share a story with you about something that happened to me this week. On Monday a customer came into work and he was introducing himself to our new staff members. They asked him what he thought of me. He pointed over and told them jokingly, that I was 'Grumpy Smurf'.
Well, I was devastated. My ego was crushed and my feelings were in tatters. I pride myself on always being cheerful, on always making customers happy, feel good about doing business with me and I always, always provide the best customer service I can. It doesn't matter what mood I am in or what is going on in my life, I always ensure the customer never suspects and I treat them as if they are the most important person on the earth until they leave.
I'm sure he was only trying to be funny, but some of my workmates thought there might be an 'element of truth' to what he said and there was a little teasing went on behind the scenes.
That night I asked family and a couple of friends if they had ever known me to be grumpy. They did say that I sometimes had my cranky pants on, but when I did, I would withdraw until I was feeling more balanced and it was only because they knew me so well, that they recognised what I was doing.
By Thursday morning, I had had enough of the not so subtle jokes. When my supervisor called me into their office, saying 'Come on Grumpy Smurf, lets talk about this.... Oh my goodness, that's so funny, I think that name is going to stick!', I knew it had gone on for long enough.
I pulled myself up tall and said to her 'If you want grumpy, you just keep on calling me grumpy, because what you say about me and what you believe about me is who I will become. I believe I chose my attitude every hour of every day. I choose to be awesome. I choose to give awesome service to my customers and they all get exactly that!'
On the way home I was thinking about this 'conversation'. How often do we hear others talking about us, or allow them to 'label' us in such a way that we eventually become what they believe us to be? How often does someone who is told they are lazy start acting lazy. How many times does the weird person stay weird, or the 'no hoper' remain that way? Unless we have the fire and determination to stand up and say 'This is not my story. This is not who I am!', we can easily self fulfill the prophecy of perception of those around us.
So next time someone labels you, ask yourself 'Is this who I am?' and if the answer is no, either prove them wrong by showing them who you truly are, or speak your truth so they are left in no doubt that they are wrong.
And take a moment to look at your self talk...are you putting yourself down? Are you belittling yourself or failing to see how awesome you really are? What you think about yourself is who you will become....always, but always, choose 'awesome'!
Stay true to you
~ Cherie ~