How to Get in Touch with Your Inner American Idol

I love the show “American Idol”.
I think it’s a great example of the basic human desire for love, acceptance, and acknowledgement. No matter who we are or what we do in life, we all crave those three things.
Umpteen years ago when I was younger, I used to want what these kids want: to be a pop star. At least I “thought” I wanted it. Unfortunately, although I can sing, at the time I lacked the drive and determination to give that dream everything I’ve got to take even baby steps towards that goal.
You can definitely see that trait of strong determination in the shows finalists. You don’t see that trait in the majority of the ill-prepared wannabes. The music business is like a lot of other fields. There are only a few choice slots at the top and everybody else fights it out for what’s left.
Whether we make it to the top of our field or not is not as important as whether someone “out there” is showing us some love and appreciation, accepting of our choices in life, and acknowledging our very existence.
Even some of the losers who appear on the show walk away with the knowledge that at least someone out there in America has gotten a chance to “see” them. They can brag for the rest of their lives that they appeared on a national TV show.
This got me thinking.
How can the rest of us who will never get a chance to be on that stage, get that same feeling of being loved, accepted, and acknowledged? I mean, those of us (including me) who have always struggled with low self-esteem are real good about dragging our faults out and laying them on the examining table.
Then we whine and moan about how we would’ve, should’ve, could’ve done this or that better. How we’re never gonna be such and such. Why do our lives have to be such a bummer, etc. etc.
Now let’s “flip the script” on all that negativity.
Lately I’ve been playing a game with myself. Every time I have a negative thought that I’m conscience of, I flip it around and turn it into a positive statement.
For example: “I CAN’T do this stupid job.”
Turns into: “I CAN do this job in my own way and at my own pace.”
What does this do? It puts me in a problem solving mode instead of a dead end mentality. When I do this, I definitely feel better about myself. Because believe me folks, people do not want to be around others who are down on themselves all the time. People like winners. That is, those who have a “winning” mentality.
And winners attract more of what? Love, acceptance and acknowledgement.
You don’t need a TV show to make you feel like a star. Tell yourself everyday that you are the STAR of your own life – and you’re going to shine everyday that you are blessed to be here.
And that’s just my humble opinion.