what is it? well in a nutshell it basically means to promote self-actualization, and broken down even further and using terms I am sure we have ALL heard at one point or another. “reaching your full potential.”I know for the most part, everyone at some point in their life has heard this from someone, whether it be a parent, an employer, or an educator.  My high school dramatic arts teacher at one time or another told me that a time or two something along the lines of, “you can do so much better, you haven’t done your best work, now try it again” these statements usually followed a minuscule effort put forth by yours truly…  I swear I heard that more in my high school career than the average person from my parents and educators, and guess what?!  They were right, and I have told both my Dramatic Arts instructor, and mentor thank you for pushing me to be the best I could be.  I am so excited anytime I hear someone I know has a child enrolled in her class, because they aren’t going to be taught only about the dramatic arts, but they are going to be empowered with valuable skills that will help them throughout the rest of their lives….

Now as an adult, I find myself in the same position, looking at others imagining and wishing they could see themselves how I see them, capable of greatness, and so much more.

 For several years I worked as a program assistant, providing educationally creative programming to young people, trying to help them reach their full potential.  When their was a task at hand, it was all work, but when it was time to play, oh yeah, it was time to play trust me, because playtime for young people, is just as important as time spent focusing on an educational task. I’ve been hit by more basketballs, gator-skin balls, and footballs than I care to count, and trust me, kids throw faster than you realize, ha!  Now at one period of time while working there, I was tasked with helping one of the many incredible youth prepare a speech to use in a competition.  This competition, if won, would provide him scholarship money to continue his education.  I made him work hard, and trust me, he knew it, and I knew it.  At one point there was a goof-up oh his end that resulted up with him voicing his opinion about me, TO ME, and not his friends.  It was comical, and I laughed immediately as the following message was a serious back-pedal, and avoidance of me.  He was done working, and it was clear he needed to play, even at 17 years old.  To make an incredibly long story shorter, he won the competition, and received the scholarship…  On numerous occasions following it, he thanked me for pushing him so hard.  My response almost every time was the same, “I knew you could do it, I knew you could do something amazing, YOU just had to realize you could do it.”

Holy smokes, I had become my parents/teachers/employers……..  Now there wasn’t some grandiose moment of realization on my part, it was more of an “ah ha” moment, and thinking “That’s what they meant.”  When you help someone become a better version of themselves, it feels good, and you know you did your part to change the world.

Now why did I go into this drawn-out explanation about my past?  Barbie, a company that makes toys for children recently released a commercial that hit a soft spot.  Here I’ll just let you see for yourself.

When children play, they can be anything they want to be.  Imaginations run wild, and they can be a superhero princess saving the world from giant trolls, a Jedi swinging his light saber, or a doctor curing the most severe case of cooties that this world has ever seen, because Lizzy touched their stuffed animal.  Allowing your child time to be creative, isn’t limiting their education, it’s expanding their ability to play, to think, and to see themselves as something greater than they have yet to achieve.

This ad campaign by Barbie isn’t so much about playtime, as it is about empowering young people to achieve greatness……

Until next time, love fiercely, smile, work hard  play, and empower others.

Much Love,

—L

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