Why Cheers?

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​Dear Why Team member,
Great Morning to you!
Did your team win?
This week we consider...

Why Cheers?

Who doesn’t like a great toast with friends; finished with everyone exclaiming Cheers!?
Cheers Win Games, don’t they?!
Everyone knows the home game advantage - Why an advantage? - more Cheers of course!

Who is the biggest Cheerleader in your life? For me it was my Mother; and even though she’s not physically here anymore, her cheers were so loud and strong that they transcend the grave. I still hear them now.
Who do you cheer for in your life; beyond your favorite sports team? Being an effective cheerleader for others requires developing and growing our inner cheerleader. 
Isn’t it our inner cheerleader who is often the one most effective at cheering us up when we get down?!

What are the favorite cheers you tell yourself? Do you prefer the classic: “You can do it!”? How about just the inner prompt that says: “Hey, there is a lesson in here, you have overcome so much, you can do this?”
Or do you have an inner cheerleader who’s not so active, gained a few pounds and reluctant to get off the bench?

Clearly the voices in our head serve us or limit us. Do you hear mostly the limits that others may have set for you? How about that one person: parent, teacher, coach, that encouraged you the most - do you play their words in your head? Or is it that cutting criticism you heard over 20 years ago; spoken once, but repeated by you a thousand times?

I have not always been the cheer-leader I’ve wanted to be and I know it’s been more a result of my own self-talk, than not caring. And while I occasionally hear that limiting voice, I have worked hard to develop my inner self-talk, especially since my Mother’s passing - hearing her encouraging words now in my head. I am so grateful for those seeds she planted. There comes a time when we must be more responsible in cultivating our own thoughts so that we may be more capable for ourselves and others. Cheering up ourselves and others - especially when the going gets tough - is often the difference maker in the game of life.

Just as you choose your favorite music in the car, turning off what you don’t like, consider the voices in your head. What are the favorite cheers you hear in your head to help you overcome life’s adversities?

The Super Bowl is our Nation’s biggest night of cheering. We know the advantage of the home games, where we feel more loved and supported - it makes a difference. Well, your inner cheerleader always has the home field advantage. Consider how you may be a better cheerleader for yourself first and foremost; then notice how you become a better cheerleader for others.

What we project onto the screen of life is our inner life. How may you develop more cheer-filled thoughts? When you notice the opposing team within you working against you, simply ask, “Why am I listening to these limiting lies? “Maybe I just need a little more sleep and some uplifting exercise. Maybe getting-at-it will get me above it. Come on Steve, you’ve got this.”

The truth is that we can never be abandoned unless we give up on ourselves.

Cheer-up yourself to best cheer-up others; and notice how much more you’re cheered-up by doing so; it’s a powerful feedback loop. Just writing these thoughts, I get cheery. 

For more wins in 2019, consider the health of your inner cheerleader. Consider his or her fitness and the words they use. Take the best cheers you have ever heard and work them into your program for more wins. Cheer-up and often!

Here’s to a winning week!

Cheers!

Steve Luckenbach