The Gumption of 5th Graders

My daughter is in a talent show this week in camp. Talent shows always bring me back to the memory of when my best friend and I auditioned for the school talent show when I was in 5th grade and, horror of all horrors, we were not selected to participate.

We taught ourselves baton twirling and choreographed a routine to Prince’s Let’s Go Crazy. It was 1985 so of course we wore matching lavender polo shirts and lavender madras shorts (Prince was Purple after all).

We had so much fun making the routine, rehearsing and auditioning that I feel somewhat shocked as a parent today that we weren’t selected for the show.

My explanation to my kids is that I think the talent show organizers’ kids were professionally trained baton twirlers and, well, I guess we were just amateurs.

I know we would have been just as enjoyable, adorable, imperfect and possibly cringeworthy as any other performer who was selected for the show that year.

When it comes to talent shows (especially elementary school ones), professionally trained and skilled does not always mean most entertaining or talented. Practice, training and skills can go a long way. But so do intangible things like bravery, gumption, enthusiasm and connection with your audience and fellow performers.


Sometimes we act like those talent show organizers when it comes to our self care and our healthcare.

Yes, it is imperative to have professional skills and licensure to do things like insert needles, perform chiropractic adjustments, surgeries, and many types of therapies (Beverly Hills Shrink included). But we underestimate ourselves and our community around us for the power we have to heal ourselves. We ask the professionals to do the lion’s share of our healing for us when, in reality, our healing would be much more electrifying if we accepted a larger role in our healing work.

Here are some of the intangibles that I think matter when it comes to your healing and don’t require a professional degree or licensure to give or receive these:
Presence
Compassion
Self Awareness
Persistence
Consistency
Community
Connection to nature
Playfulness
Bravery
Hugs
Gumption

When it comes to your health and well being, it’s time to "punch a higher level" in your Self Care. YOU plus your community and loved ones are the key players in your healing team. The rest of us professionals are there with our skills when you need us.

You deserve to honor your healing powers.

This is philosophy is at the core of what I offer at Beacon - it honors and grows your healing capacity in a community where all of the healing intangibles are nurtured.

If you’re ready to have the gumption of a 5th grader blended with the healing wisdom of our collective experiences, Let’s Go! Go Crazy!