That One Person

Do you remember who that teacher was that encouraged you? Maybe it was a coach, or a mentor, or someone you looked up to.

For me, it was a professor.

I never felt particularly smart growing up. I was a good writer, I was really uncomfortable with math, I was a strong public speaker, and I enjoyed history. While I did okay in school- my grades were decent, I got a partial scholarship to a university- I never felt like on of the bright, gifted kids.

I had really low self esteem growing up, and no one would have known, because I just oozed self-confidence. I loved performing, singing, being on stage and being in front of a crowd. I realise now the very idea of these things terrifies most people. Still, I didn’t feel accomplished. I wanted to be smart. I wanted to be academically talented, and I suppose I wanted that confirmation from somewhere- my parents, my peers, and especially, my teachers.

Much later on in my life, I learned that we all need validation.

I think that youth need it more than anyone. They are trying to make sense of the world around them. The are learning, growing, changing, hurting, healing, and developing- vulnerably, and very quickly. It’s our job to support them, to reassure them, and to illuminate an inspired path for their futures.

I finally got this validation in my last year and final semester of university. After changing majors 6, 10, or 22 times, I stumbled up “Communication Studies”, and I discovered what I wanted to study. I took a really challenging course, called Persuasion, from a professor named Dr. Davis Houck. He had us read and write papers more books and papers than I may have cumulatively read and written throughout my entire university experience. I hated the work, but I loved the challenge.

At the end of the semester and not long before my graduation, Dr. Houck called me to his office. He told me I received the only A in the course, and that he thought I should go on to graduate school. Writing this 20 years later, I still feel gobsmacked. And I still feel surprised. This really intelligent professor thought that little old me should go to graduate school? I was capable of doing another higher education degree? No way!

?I did go to graduate school.?I went clear out to California, the opposite coast of where I was in Florida, with two suitcases. Dr. Houck helped me find and get into the right university, and after two years of a teaching assistantship, lots of late nights, coffee, antacids, written and oral exams, I earned a Master’s degree in Communication Studies at the age of 23.

It’s my proudest achievement outside of rescuing my 6 pets (2 dogs, 4 cats).

Have you ever encouraged someone? I became a professor at a college, and I did my best to support my students however I could. I taught them, I listened to them, I cheered for them, and I’m still in touch with many of them. I did that because I remember how low I felt at times, and how hard life could be.

One of my former managers refers to me as the “Pep Talk Queen”. It’s my favourite unofficial job title. Growing up is hard. Being a kid is hard. Being an adult is hard!

If you can support, or encourage, or cheerlead, or say a kind word to anyone today, please do it.

People remember how you make them feel, and I for one want to be known as the person that builds other people up.

We all have our crosses to bear and our trials to tribulate, but telling someone how capable and wonderful they are makes such a difference.

You may even change the way they see themselves.

In lifting others up, we lift ourselves and that kind of positivity spreads. Let’s all be Pep Talk Queens and Kings. Let’s help encouragement go viral.