Show Them You Care

So, I'm sure many of you read my first post and thought, well this is something for little girls to read and not really what I'm into. I might have to prove you wrong with that. I realize having an introduction like that could turn some people off, but at the same time, most of the things I've learned have pretty interesting stories behind them.  Not that I feel the need to sell myself, that's hardly the reason I write, but at the same time I feel as though I deserve a chance.  If you read the top of my blog up on the right it says "may I have your attention please" because in all honesty, I feel as though if I have your attention I can keep it.  And I think that is the case with women's soccer in general; there are a lot of teams and players that play quality soccer, we just need to be given a chance to show it. With that said, I will open my first blog with something I learned from soccer early in my career.  I've never understood why people have such a hard time showing they are passionate about something or that they care about something.  I fell in love with the game when I was about eight or nine years old.  I remember well being best friends with the ball and wearing my Sambas regardless of the occasion.  I would constantly be in soccer gear and even recall going to a surprise birthday party in middle school in full uniform (shinguards and all).  I wanted people to know I had a game before... I wanted them to ask about it, because then I could talk about it.  I was, and still am, proud to be a footballer.

But to get to my point... you have to show people that you care about something if you ever want them to care about it for you.  And this applies to absolutely everything.  This is where my mom comes in I guess.  You see, when I was younger I was super shy.  Like so shy, I had to attend a transitional grade before I went to first grade from kindergarden... simply because I didn't speak.  I started playing soccer when I was five.  A few years of soccer and I was a new person. I was outgoing and funny and had an entirely new personality. I was passionate about something. I loved soccer and I wanted everyone to know it.  No one cared more though than my biggest fan and number one support system, my mom.  The reason she cared so much though and did everything in her power to pave the path for me was because I always showed her how much it meant to me.  I was devastated if I didn't play well and I was ecstatic if I played well and we won.  I polished my boots as if I were Cinder-freakin-rella going to the ball.  I laid out my uniform before every game and made sure my right and left sock had the same exact fold.

She saw all of this all the time. And I didn't realize it at the time, but she watched me fall in love with the game.  I never even had to tell her how much I loved it; she just always knew.  And it was because she knew how much I cared about it that she could put all she had into giving me everything I needed to succeed - the best cleats, playing for the best teams, going to camps and tournaments out of state (which meant she had to take a lot of time off of work) and paying a lot of money that we really didn't have (I was one of three playing soccer).

My mom wasn't the only one either-  everyone knew how much I loved it.  And it was because of the other people in my life that I was able to be as successful as I have been.  You can't do it on your own. But a lot of times people don't show others that they care.  It obviously applies to so many things and I have brought this over into other aspects in my life.  There aren't many things I'm passionate about.  I feel as though if you're really passionate about a lot of things then maybe you are kind of confused as to what passion is. You can't give all of yourself to everything all the time.  You have to pick and choose.

There are three things that I'm truly passionate about right now: my good friends and family; soccer and Our Game Magazine.  Two of these things will never change as long as I live. My friends and family make my life what it is, as does soccer. The magazine is a bit different, but something that might change once I am done playing (same thing with coaching).

The bottom line is this: don't be afraid to show you care. Whether you're in a relationship, playing a sport, working at a job or just trying to make a difference in the world, nothing can be done alone.  In order for someone to really want to help you though, they need to know how much you care about something.  If they know, then trust me, they will put in more effort had they never known.

Screw that cliche : if you love something set it free; if it was meant to be it will come back to you. Seriously, screw it.  If you love something - LET EVERYONE KNOW.

Or better yet  - If you love something, why the hell not tell everybody? The only downfall is that they won't care and in that case, they really don't care about you much now do they?