Join Frea on her journey through life and lessons learned as she overcomes her fears through the power of her Inner Champion. Frea learns to transform her anxiety into courage and resilience.
Frea stood at the entrance to the community center, clutching her gym bag so tightly her knuckles turned white. The competition was in two weeks, and Coach Elena had suggested she join the advanced practice group. But now, watching the older girls effortlessly flip and twist through the air, Frea’s stomach churned.
“I can’t do this,” she whispered, taking a step backward. “I’m going to mess up, and everyone will laugh at me.”
“Having second thoughts?” came a gentle voice behind her. Frea turned to find Ms. Rosie, the elderly librarian who ran the community center’s reading program. Frea had always loved how Ms. Rosie made every child feel special during story time, no matter how many times they stumbled over words.
“I’m not good enough,” Frea admitted, her eyes fixed on her feet. “Those girls are amazing, and I’m… just me.”
Ms. Rosie’s smiled. “Just you? Oh my dear, do you know about the Inner Champion?”
Frea shook her head, curiosity momentarily replacing her anxiety.
“Come with me,” Ms. Rosie said, leading Frea to a quiet corner with comfortable beanbag chairs. “Did you know you have a special guardian, an Inner Champion, that helps you stay balanced, just like a gymnast on a beam?”
She pulled a small mirror from her pocket. “Look here. When we’re calm and ready to learn, that’s when our Champion shines brightest. But sometimes…” Ms. Rosie made an exaggerated worried face in the mirror, “worry clouds make it harder to see our Champion, and we feel either too jumpy or too frozen to move forward.”
Frea looked thoughtful. “I can’t see my Champion at all right now.”
“That’s okay! The wonderful thing about your Inner Champion is that it grows stronger every time you face your fears. Would you like to meet yours?”
Over the next few days, Ms. Rosie taught Frea four ways to awaken her Inner Champion:
First was the “Peaceful Pause” โ taking three deep breaths whenever she felt nervous, imagining her Champion growing calmer and stronger with each breath.
Next came the “Bounce-Back Ballet” โ remembering times she’d fallen during practice but gotten back up, making her Champion more resilient with each bounce.
The third was the “Inner Explorer” โ becoming curious about her worried thoughts instead of running from them. “Your Champion loves to investigate!” Ms. Rosie explained.
Finally, there was the “Friend Finder” โ noticing how other girls in the advanced group sometimes struggled too, helping Frea’s Champion connect with others through shared experiences.
The day of her first advanced practice arrived. Frea’s heart raced as she approached the gymnasium, but she remembered her Champion. She took three Peaceful Pauses, recalled her Bounce-Back moments, and looked around the room with the curiosity of her Inner Explorer eyes.
Frea noticed a girl, Jasmine, looking just as nervous as she felt. Using her Friend Finder powers, Frea walked over.
“First day in advanced too?” she asked.
Jasmine nodded, relief flooding her face. “I’m scared I’ll mess up.”
“Me too,” Frea admitted. “But maybe we can help each other?”
As they practiced together, Frea discovered something amazing โ not only was she landing new moves she never thought possible, but she was having fun! Even when she fell, she got back up; her Champion was growing stronger each time.
That evening, Frea found Ms. Rosie restacking books. “My Champion helped me make a new friend AND learn a new routine!” she exclaimed.
Ms. Rosie smiled. “That’s what Champions do best โ they help us turn our ‘I can’ts’ into ‘I’ll trys.'” She pulled a small green ribbon from her pocket. “Here’s something to remind you of your Champion’s strength.”
Frea tied the ribbon around her wrist, feeling its gentle presence as she practiced her routine for the upcoming competition. She knew there would still be worried moments, but now she had her Champion.
When the competition arrived, Frea performed her routine with grace, resilience, and most importantly, joy. She didn’t win first place, but she did win something better โ the confidence to keep trying, learning, and growing, one step at a time.
That evening, as Frea walked past the community center, she noticed another young girl standing hesitantly at the entrance to the gymnastics room. With a smile, she touched her green ribbon and walked over.
The End
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