Have I mentioned before that my daughter is amazing? Well, all of my kids are amazing but my little girl, my only girl, is one of a kind. She is smart, talented, witty, and all of those other wonderful things parents are supposed to gush about. However, her self-awareness is what I really love. As Oprah said once in an interview with Dakota Fanning. She called her an "old soul." That is exactly my daughter.

Yesterday, on the way home from school, she chatted about a conversation she had with her teacher about high school. We have five high schools all within a 15 mile radius and they tend to be a bit competitive. My daughter (we'll call her A) LOVES soccer. The World Cup was heaven for her this year. Anyway, she is torn about high schools, mind you, this is four years away still. The high school we are assigned to doesn't have a very good girls' team. However, if we lived just five blocks south of where we do now, she would be attending high school that has won state multiple times. The reason she is thinking about it now is because of this.

We got home and I was back in my office, as usual, when she came in and said to me, "Mom, I just know it, deep down, that I am going to play soccer when I'm older. I don't know how I know but I just do. Whether it is college or hopefully beyond that, I know I will do it." I just looked at her, trying to keep my composure as my heart swelled to the size of the national debt. I looked at her and said, "It is because you believe in yourself. That is a very powerful thing. I am so proud of you for doing that." The only thing I can contribute here is that I never let the kids say "I can't." Not allowed. EVER. I said "I can't" a lot when I was younger. Therefore, the things I should have done, I didn't.

I knew exactly what she meant when she said it. Because, finally, now in my more mature years (that is code for "my knees crackle like Rice Krispies"), I have the same feeling. I have found something I love to do, just like A and her soccer, and I understand what she means. I am more comfortable now telling others that I am a writer because I finally really believe it. The steps I am taking and the commitment I'm making to it tells me so. The power of believing is a wonderful thing, just like hope. It buoys you, holds you up when all is crashing down around you. It gives you the wings to fly above it all, to get you where you want to be.

Are you a believer? Do you really believe that you can run that marathon, write that breakout novel, sail solo across the ocean, or lose those fifty pounds? Do you feel it in your bones? If not, then you will never do it.

Embrace the struggles; the journey will be that much more rewarding.

"Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle." quote by Christian D. Larson

If more encouragement is needed, click here. And sing along like you are in the car with no kids. And it is dark out. So no one can see what a dork you are. I have NEVER done this. (This is for you Emily!)