How to be your own cheerleader.

It can be hard having to be your only support system.

If you’re a parent, a spouse, a friend, caretaker for an elderly parent - anyone that has responsibilities outside of your own needs, chances are you’re tired.

And all you want is for someone to come in, save the day, and tell you that everything is going to be okay.

But what if you don’t have that?

What if you’re a single parent, a widow, you have no real friends, people tell you they love you and you can count on them but when you need someone, no one is around?

Or you’re surrounded by people but no one really understands what it means to be you?

All of that can make you feel sad and alone.

I get it.

But you have to remember if you’re reading this, you have survived 100% of your worst days.

You have exactly what it takes to turn your life into what you want it to be.

No matter what that looks like for you.

You just have to be willing to try.

For me, I wanted love. I wanted to belong. I wanted to feel needed, wanted, and that I was a part of something bigger than myself.

First, my husband turned my vision of life around. His realness, his honesty, and his compassion for me as a person helped me understand that life was more than just pain and hurt.

Then my kids gave my life purpose.

From the second I knew I was going to be a mom, I knew in my core that my kids would NEVER know how it felt to grow up like I did.

And so I made a commitment to them before they were even born that their life would be different.

Not perfect because perfection doesn’t exist - but definitely different.

I’ve made mistakes but my kids depended on me and I wasn’t going to let them down.

To be my own cheerleader, I’ve had to have some serious heart-to-heart conversations with myself.

I want to be an artist - yes.

I want to be successful - yes.

Do I deserve to be successful - that was the big one. That was the toughest one because it meant that all the years of being told I wasn’t worth it - now I was facing my inner demons and rewiring my thoughts to believe that I AM worth it and I DO deserve it.

That’s not easy to tell yourself.

But the more you do, the more you believe it.

And you have to believe it. Not just for your sake but for those that you care about the most.

If you don’t love yourself and support yourself, how can you expect anyone else to?

To be your own cheerleader, you have to face yourself, you have to forgive yourself, and you have to learn to love yourself.

Then, you won’t need to depend on anyone for anything.

Because you’ll realize that everything you need, you’ve had in yourself all along.

The hardest part of being an artist for me has been believing that I can do it.

Believing that I am talented, I have skill, and my voice matters. Because for the longest time I was told the complete opposite.

The long conversations with myself showed me I have a big heart, I care about people, and I have a sense of humor.

And I never give up.

That’s how I survived my childhood.