It’s Cool To Be You

Growing up, I was short. Not just kind of short, I was noticeably smaller than every other kid in my class. This had never been an issue until I sat next to two boys in the 4th grade. Looking back they were probably flirting as best as 4th grade boys know how, but they teased me each day about how small I was. They constantly compared me to others and so I started to wonder why I wasn’t as tall as the people around me. I suddenly found that something that I couldn’t control, made me feel not good enough.

This ‘height dilemma’ followed me into soccer league in the 5th grade. When I would kick the ball down the field, it felt like giants from the other team were going to run me over. At this point, the two boys were no longer in my class and therefore my ear every day. Being small is something that I started to come to terms with and accept about myself. My unenthused attitude towards soccer became less about me being small, and more that I seemed to go through the motions because I didn’t know what else I could do. 

Leading up to end of soccer season, my parents arrived home from an expo and told me that they found something they think I would be excited about. They met two coaches from a cheerleading gym that were starting a youth team. I had always seen cheerleading on TV and the thought of it excited me. I signed up for tryouts.

At tryouts we had the normal meet and greets, and then I heard the thing I cringed at the most. “Please lineup up from tallest to shortest.”

I made my way over to the far left corner and stood at the end of the line. Waiting in anticipation to see why we were lined up, I heard something that would change the course of not only the next 8 years, but my life. I was told that I would be a flyer. 

A flyer is one of the girls that gets thrown in the air. (video of me back in the day). This turned into not only my passion in life, but allowed me to own who I am, short and all, and be proud to be me.

I look back on that story as an adult and ask myself, what am I currently trying to fit into because it seems like the normal thing to do? Where am I trying to fit in, rather than owning who I am? Soccer wasn’t something that I loved, but was unaware that I could use my gifts (or height) to my advantage doing something that I was passionate about.

Here are a few thought questions.

What am I currently doing? Am I passionate about it? 

Not just because you think you should be, but because it lights you up.

What can I own about myself?

It doesn’t need to be a physical trait like my story. It could be a personality trait that you try to dim – maybe you’re loud and outgoing, and people are always telling you to ‘shh’. Or perhaps you’re extraordinarily creative and aren’t using those talents to the fullest.

What is something that I can do just by being me?

Shine your light.

Olivia x