One little Smiley...

This last weekend was a busy one. Weddings, anniversaries, football games, family gatherings, all of those things we try to cram in before school starts. In the middle of all that my oldest daughter Sam traveled to L.A. for a tourney with her volleyball team. This years team is a little different. She is having to really fight for her spot as a starting outside hitter. She is only 5"8 but has a great jump. There is some pretty tough "tall" new talent. So I have been trying my best to keep her positive and motivate her to always do her best. Even if she thinks it's going unnoticed.

I love little quotes and motivational sayings. All over my house, always within reach, you will find small books filled with stories or quotes to help in any situation. It's up lifting to me. I am one of those people that has a hard time getting into books, it has to get my attention in the first few pages or forget it. But, short stories and these motivation books I love.

My most favorite quote I actually heard in a movie. Found it on the Internet. Typed it up and put a copy in each one of children's room by the door so it would be visible every day. I have applied this quote to so many things in my life and my kids lives and really believe it has made a big difference in the way I "coach" my kids in life.

The Quote.... Coach Carter



Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world, there is nothing enlightened about shrinking so other people won't feel insecure around you. We were all meant to shine as children do. It's not just in some of us it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same thing, as we are liberated from our own fear , our presence automatically liberates others.



All my kids are very different from each other of course. They each seem to have something that they are passionate about. Sam's is volleyball it's where her emotion, dedication and determination shows the most.
So I know that this last weekend when I sent her that quote in a text that it would most definitely effect her attitude towards her playing situation. She sent me one text back it was just a smiley face :) and I knew she understood what she had to do. Play her best, not worry about the out come or be afraid to play her game at the level she can. It paid off. She played every game but one and then they only pulled her in the last game because they knew that she had given everything she had and it was appreciated. So it may not have been the winning est tournament for them but for her it ended up successful.
Sam and I talk and text alot. Especially when she is traveling with her team...I hope or I like to think that it's because she knows I will always have some words of wisdom or one of those little quotes to motivate and inspire her. Little does she know that watching and seeing how much she has accomplished and who she has become is MY biggest motivation of all! :)