Most people my age go crazy whenever they see a puppy. It
takes everything in them not to scoop up the fuzz ball and take it home with
them. Me, not so much. The dogs don’t get me—but little babies, they sure do!!
Recently I’ve switched jobs, and now I am coaching
gymnastics. Technically I am supposed to be teaching them; but honestly, these
little humans are teaching me lots. I could go on for days about the lessons
they remind me of, but for times sake I’ve opted to share the top four:
1.
Be Proud of Yourself
When my little gymnast finally nails her cartwheel on the beam, she can’t wait to
ring the bell and tell the whole gym how amazing she is. However, as adults we tend
to minimize our accomplishments and tell ourselves the achievements aren’t good
enough to be proud of. Instead if we respond like kids and own our victories, think
of how much more confidence we would have in our daily lives.
2.
Cry
Two
of my little kiddos collided the other day. Boy, did they cry! And rightfully so.
They were hurt and scared and weren’t afraid to show it. So often we are told to
“conceal, don’t feel, don’t let them know” (I had to throw in a Frozen quote. We
are talking about kids here!), and we end up burying our emotions deep inside.
In recovery, I’ve learned that feeling the emotions and letting them pass is actually
healthy. So go ahead and cry when it hurts.
3.
Love Unconditionally
My
gymnasts love me. They don’t care how much I weigh or what grades I make or how
well I am adulting. Their unconditional love reminds me of how God loves me, not
because I have done anything to deserve it, but just because I am me. We could
all take a lesson from kids right here—to love ourselves for who we are and to
love others with overflowing compassion and grace.
4. Speak Your Mind
These
lil’ squirts have no filter. They will tell you that you are “the most beautiful”
(thanks Roma <3). They will also tell you when something isn’t fair or if
you are doing it all wrong. Kids are free to share their opinions and voice
their truth. For too long I stayed silent in fear of speaking my truth. But I
am learning to share what I think, speak up when I feel like I’ve been wronged,
and tell others how lovely they truly are. This mindset is freeing, and we
should take note from these wise little guys.
Yes, there are times when I want
to scream because the 4 yr old will not listen for anything and the 2nd
graders won’t stop bickering and tattle taling. But all in all, I love them. I
love them because of their innocence, of their kindness, of their ability to
see beyond the surface. And if you ever need a pick-me-up, hit me up because
I’ll have some pretty funny stories to tell and even better lessons to share
from these krazy kiddos.
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