It’s important to believe in yourself, but let’s face it, we all need some help with that from time to time. What would you do without the people who are in your corner, cheering you on? They are your champions, and here’s why they are so important:

Every day and all around you, there are people expressing their opinion about how you “should be”. It can be extremely crippling when you buy into it, because so often these unsolicited gems of wisdom are negative. These people are not secure in themselves, consequently their chief aim is to demoralize, demotivate, and drain you. They are called “energy vampires”, and this is how they achieve some or all of their personal power. They do not want to see you succeed, because they believe that would somehow diminish them.

Your champions, on the other hand, aren’t trying to mold you into their idea of success. Rather, they see your talents and strengths and encourage you to follow your own unique path. They offer to share their knowledge and mentor you, where it is appropriate. They truly care about your success!

So believe in your dream, intend to succeed, and work at it passionately. You will find your true champions gathering around you. Hold them close, treasure them, express gratitude to them often. Your champions and mentors are pure gold.

An excerpt from The Turquoise Heart, where the speakers are Elsu, mentor to the main protagonist, 14-year-old Anna:

…“I AM very tired. When I answered the call of the wind, I did not expect this many problems over here.”

“Problems? Is that how you choose to see it?”

“Yes, I would like to go home now. I need a break from all this drama.”

Elsu smiled. “It is your story, Anna. I suppose you asked for a drama.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Well, if memory serves me correctly, you were feeling very bored with life, and asking if there could be more. You came over here and started to find it. What were you expecting, exactly?”

“I guess I thought it was going to be easier.”

“Anna, nothing worth anything is that easy. Did you really want all of the answers to be handed to you on a silver platter? We had a good conversation where I suggested some ideas, but you will make up your own mind about those as you move forward.

“As for Suki, she grated on you in order to bring to the surface all of the feelings you have at school about fitting in. She was a valuable experience for you, as you were for her. You are going to encounter many Sukis in life, Anna. You won’t always be able to just walk away from them, the way you choose to do at school.

“The Sukis of this world have a sense of entitlement to control other people. When they can’t, they try to punish them. Believe me, a girl who is worried about a dress and a boyfriend is the least of it. She fortunately will outgrow it, but there are those who do not. In order to withstand them, it’s important to have a strong sense of yourself”...

The Turquoise Heart ebook is currently being offered as a free PDF download. This novelette is a prequel to a much longer story, as  Anna’s quest to find a more expansive vision of life unfolds.

Help yourself to a free copy now if you’d like to read the story. Download it here.