I’m about to get all personal up in here. And I’m going to out myself. Those of you who read and knew me in the pre-Queen era will not be surprised (especially if you knew me in the maiden name years). This may come as a shock for others of you.
I was a – wait for it – cheerleader. I’m actually a 3rd generation (my maternal grandfather, my mother, and me) cheerleader. Or yell leader according to my Grandpa Hubert.
What’s that? You want proof? I’ll give you proof with the mid 1990s hair to prove it (ok it was probably more like 1980s hair for most of you but it takes awhile for fashion to trickle down in the country).
I’m not sure what hanging on to trees has to do with cheerleading but the photog must have thought it was a good idea. And now you realize that I wear that plastic crown just to hold all that hair down. Whew, it must have been hard work just lifting up my head. It must have been why I could never quite do a back handspring.
To get out of debt, you’ve got to be a cheerleader.
I’m not talking about “Baby in a high chair, who put her up there? Ma, Pa, Sis-Boom-Ba, Fairbanks Trojans, Ra! Ra! Ra!” (Grandpa Hubert knew how to rock it 1930s style) or even “We’ve got spirit, yes we do! We’ve got spirit, how ’bout you?!”
If you’re endeavoring to become debt free, you need to be rooting on someone else. Not begging for someone to cheer for you. Not whining because no one else understands how hard it is. Not dreaming of the day when you’re the big winner, winner chicken dinner. Nope, you need to cheer on someone else who is getting out of debt.
No need for pom poms. No need for literal megaphones. Just plain simple straight up encouragement – via phone, text, social media, written word, or face to face communication (but preferably all of the above).
Lots of you have cheered us on and hopefully we’ve served as a source of encouragement for you, too.
But we’re also investing personally in others who are seeking to have true freedom when it comes to their finances and slaying debt dragons. We talk to them on a regular basis. We share victory stories and battle wounds. We laugh about our penny pinching ways and we dream together about the day when we’ll all be free.
And somehow by encouraging someone else, we gain focus and energy to face our own debt enemy – the Evil Sorceress Sallie Mae.
It’s probably the number one reason why I love the Court of the Queen of Free on Facebook. Money Saving Lords and Ladies there share who they’re cheering for, their best Aldi shopping tips, or simply what they’re having for dinner (meal planning is KEY for getting out of debt).
Become someone’s superfan. Remind them that they can. do. this! Emphasize the importance of working together with their spouse to overcome financial burdens. Share a time when you were discouraged and what turned it around for you.
Lend an ear or shout a cheer, but keep it positive and encouraging, kinda like K-Love.
Best of all, you don’t have to wear a skirt or awkwardly place your hand on a tree to show your spirit.
Beat that debt. Win, win win!
We know you can do it.
{Imagine me doing a big “Gooooooo yooooooou!” cheer}
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