“Do as I say…”

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Shared by Breanne Smedley

There’s nothing like having a child to really expose who you are.

I’ve found, at least, it’s really hard to teach Charlee to do something, if I’m not doing it myself.

“Do as I say, not as I do.” My grandpa once told me while we were golfing.

He was trying to teach me how to chip the ball onto the green.

“Choke up on the club a little bit. Ball in the back of your stance. Pull back the club just a little. Follow through to about your waist.”

He contacted the ball and it barely made it to the green.

“Ha! Do as I say, not as I do!”

Funny in that setting, but probably not the best advice to live by.

Children pick up on this stuff fast, too.

We’ve been repeating mantras with Charlee for the past year.

She’s just now able to repeat them back to us.

It’s a little call and response activity.

We say, “I am smart!” And touch our fingers to our heads.

She repeats, “I am ‘mart!”

We say, “I am strooooonnng!” In a deep, tough voice while flexing.

She repeats, “I am ‘trooooooonng!” In her raspy voice, flexing.

“I am brave!” We say.

“I am brave!” She repeats.

“I am courageous!” We say.

“I am ageous!” She repeats.

“I am kind.” We say, holding our hands to our hearts.

“I am kind.” She repeats, doing the same.

“I am loved.” We say, making a heart shape with our hands.

“I love.” She repeats, trying to figure out how to do the same things with her hands.

“I love myself!” We say, hugging our bodies.

“I love self!” She repeats.

“I’m CHARLEE!” We say, throwing our arms in the air.

“I’m RARLEE!” She repeats, proudly.

It’s cute.

But it’s also a reminder.

That we are her closest examples of what all those things mean.

The principles of being a life-long learner…
…being strong in mind and body
…risking, trying new things, chasing dreams
…being kind to herself and others
…knowing that she is enough
…knowing and loving herself

Can’t just be words that we repeat back and forth.

Am I showing her how to pursue passions?

To always be learning, growing, doing hard things?

How to love my body, and myself, without judgement or negative comments?

To be kind and forgive others?

To own my mistakes?

“Do as I say, not as I do” won’t work here.

I must live my principles.

For me, but also for the little life that watches me the closest.

Maybe a better phrase is…

“We do what we say, because it’s what we do.”

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#MindfullyEvolving

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