Have you ever found yourself in a situation in which you’re running around like a chicken with your head cut off, stressed, frazzled and feeling like things are completely out of your control?

Me, too.

In fact, this happened to me very recently. I was planning a trick-or-treat event for children with physical disabilities, and it was about to rain. We had the whole shebang set up outside, and our backup plan for rainy weather wasn’t nearly as fun. I had been running around all morning, trying to make sure this thing would go off without a hitch.

So far, so good. We were an hour into the event, and still no rain. And then… I felt the first rain drop. My husband, who was there to help me along with my dad and sister, came over. He could definitely see the panic in my eyes. He looked at me and said,

“You got this. Take a deep breath. How can I help?”

In that moment, I felt infinitely more calm.  I instantly knew he was right. Of course I could handle this. He was cheering me on. And more importantly, I was cheering myself on, too. It would all work out. I knew it would. I simply had to believe in myself and take the next logical step. So that’s what I did. And sure enough, we were able to bring the entire event inside before it started down-pouring, and although not ideal, the kids still had huge smiles on their faces. Those smiles were what truly mattered, anyway.

So whether you’re running around like a headless chicken, or feeling like a kitten caught in a rainstorm who needs an extra dose of love, here’s what you can do to be your own cheerleader.

How you can make it happen:

1. Catch yourself in the act. Whether you’re playing the victim, being a drama queen, feeling down or acting as if everything is out of your control, start by catching yourself in the act. Create awareness about what holds you back from being truly in your power, and determine your sticking points are so you can nip them in the bud as quick as possible.
2. Ask yourself tough questions. When you are feeling like the world is set against you, it can be hard to be a neutral party. But we have to start asking ourselves tough questions. Most important of which: “Is this really true?” Are things really out of my control? Is there really nothing I can be grateful for? Is my coworker really being an evil minion for no reason at all? Or am I perhaps being a little unreasonable?
3. Switch around your mindset. Once you get a little perspective (see #2), you can start to turn your mindset around for the positive. What do I have to be grateful for already? What can I do to turn things around? How can I fix this situation so it feels more true to myself and who I want to be?
4. Forgive yourself. No matter what happened in the past, you have the power to change the future. Everyone messes up. Everyone feels down every once in a while. It’s okay. I want you to really believe that, because it the truth. Give yourself a big old bear hug, and release the past so we can move onto the big, bright future.
5. Be your own best friend. Would you ever tell your best friend that she sucks, or that she can’t handle what will happen in the future? Nope. You sure wouldn’t. And yet, so many of us do this every day to ourselves. Instead, treat yourself like you would treat your best friend. Give yourself a pep talk when you need it most. Tell yourself “you got this.” Because we both know you do!
6. Take action. Once you know the steps you can take to turn things around, don’t think about it any longer. Simply start doing them. Right now. Action is the best way to start feeling “unstuck.” It is also the best way to feel more powerful and less anxious. Taking action on something you know is in line with your values is a sure way to turn around any mood.
7. Stay positive. Look at all of the amazing accomplishments you have already achieved. You are amazing. You are a bad ass. Now go get ’em, girl!

What you have to gain from being your own cheerleader:

Being our own number one fan is important for many reasons. We all have days when we are our own worst critic – where our self-doubt rears it’s ugly head and threatens to ruin things when they were just getting good. Realizing that we have the power to turn things around when they get dicey will help us:

1. Become more empowered. Being your own cheerleader will boost your confidence and get you through the toughest of situations.
2. Feel like your true self. Believing in the amazing things you can accomplish will show you just how incredible everyone else already knows you are.
3. Get more accomplished. Yay for productivity!
4. Have a little more fun. After all, it’s never fun worrying over the things that could, should, or will go wrong. Let’s shift our perspective so we can stress less and enjoy ourselves a little more!

xoxo,

Zoe Lauryn

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