Creative people need to isolate for a great part of their work, but it isn’t always a good practice.
Sometimes you need to be in the graceful presence of another person to feel yourself in their reflection. Everyone needs cheerleaders. Assemble yours with careful thought and they can cheer you to victory and rally when you falter. What makes a good cheerleader? Ponder this for a moment and figure out what you value most in a cheer? Honesty, pleasantness, humor, spontaneity are just a few attributes you may appreciate.
What style of cheering helps spur you on? Besides social online channels, snail mail postcards or notes can be uplifting as can a phone call. Do your cheerleaders know what to say and when? Train them to help cheer you on. What are the actual words you need to hear when you fail? How about the words that shout to celebrate your wins? It’s your job to know what these messages are, inform you cheering squads, and call upon them when you need them.
Feeling witnessed freezes time and fills the moment with the magic of human connection. A best friend can soothe your bruised feelings and cheer your success, but are their other people that can help witness you and your work? Consider mentors, peers, clients, followers, etc., how can these people be a part of your cheerleading network?
And don’t forget tenacity. Cheerleaders still cheer when the game is lost. It’s their gift for you. Don’t be afraid give them plenty of words to cheer you on!
A few sample cheers to get your list started:
- That took guts!
- Your muse saw that and smiled!
- Remember the technical advances we have today were only achieved through many failures.
- I think you’re amazing just for thinking you can!
- Look at all you’ve accomplished!
- You did it!
- I’m very impressed!
- Your (fill in your own words) inspires me!
- Inventing the light bulb had thousands of failures, but Edison kindly referred about them as just ways not to make a light bulb. Maybe you’re a genius too?!
- I’m honored you’re sharing your achievement with me.
- Benjamin Franklin risked being electrocuted to capture electricity. You’re braver than him!
- When’s the celebration?
- I’d like you to meet my friend who has accomplished (fill in your win)!
Cheerleaders can serve us in many ways. In my book, Ask Power Questions: A Practical Guide to Help You Get What You Want in Business, Life and Friendship, I focus on making meaningful communication through asking powerful questions. Cheering can serve a similar purpose calling out scores and fumbles aiding your team’s perspective!
Sandy Nelson is a contributing blogger for JenningsWire Online Magazine.
The online feature magazine, JenningsWire.com, is created by National PR Firm, Annie Jennings PR that specializes in providing book promotion services to self-published and traditionally published authors. Annie Jennings PR books authors, speakers and experts on major high impact radio talk interview shows, on local, regionally syndicated and national TV shows and on influential online media outlets and in prestigious print magazines and newspapers across the country.
