Mine comes in the form of my 7 year old. As I was changing shirts she looked at me admiringly, just as I was pulling my top over my squishy pale tummy and says, “mommy, you’re so pretty.” Or that one time when she asked how many followers I had on my new Gritty Girl Mom account – 78 – and she said “Oh yeah mom…good for you!” and gave me a high five.
Mine comes from my parents (but especially my mom because she’s the texter of the two) with little words of encouragement and notes about my new journey. When I asked her to give me an opinion on a post before I put it on the blog her exact words were: “I’m honored, but your posts come from your heart and I think asking anyone, including me, for an opinion is unnecessary. Your posts are beautiful…and they’re YOU! And I love that. ❤️” And another time: “Your new journey is crazy! Crazy good!”
Mine comes from my friend who always gets onto me for reading self help books. She says, “you’re a badass and a rock star. You don’t need to improve on that!” She encourages me to read trashy romance novels instead. She claims it’s a way better use of my time.
Mine comes from my husband, who got tricked into playing a little couple’s card game that came in our “date night in a box” (a super cute shark-themed box from Crated with Love*). His card read: “Tell your partner 4 things that make them one in a million.” And he dug really deep and told me some touching things, including that I was “inspiring.” Wow. This date night trick really worked! 😉
Mine comes from text messages from a friend. She sends me links to curly hair product discounts (most days I straighten, but I’m working on accepting my “natural” hair), articles about creativity and songs that she knows I’ll appreciate. The thoughtfulness and just a, “hey, how are you doing?” goes a long way in filling my bucket.
Mine comes from strangers on Instagram (different from creepers who try to slide into your DM’s). From their supportiveness of my writing to showing me how creators in this space are finding their way, it’s encouraging and inspiring. And who doesn’t love more little red hearts when you open the app?
I’m so grateful for the support, but I also want to make sure I’m passing along this gift of hype to others – in my family, my small groups and broader. And the bigger challenge? Working on honestly believing the kind things people say to me and about me. Because if you believe your own hype, there is NOTHING that can stop you.
*This is not an ad, but is my unique referral link for Crated with Love. If you choose to use it, you will get $5 off your first purchase!
