Being the oldest of three and the only girl, I have the very typical maternal nature when it comes to my brothers. They were often my personal punching bags growing up due to the household rule of ‘boys cannot hit girls”. I know its an unfair advantage and swear it was one I seldom used but it was an advantage none-the-less. The funny thing was how I could verbally or physically beat down my brothers but God help the mo’ fo’ that came within a mile of hurting a hair on their heads!

When I was but six or seven years old, my brother and I were playing down at the end of the cul de sac. The school bully, Gary, lived to one side and my best friend to the other. We did a pretty good job of staying clear of Gary’s but on one particular day during a game of foursquare, Gary decided to be a douche and starting taunting me when I showed my friend the puka shell necklace acquired on our recent family trip to the Islands. My brother, Nicky, didn’t like that at all and became particularly protective when Gary grabbed my necklace and broke it! I As I tried to pick up the hundreds of bouncing puka shells from the asphalt through tear soaked lashes, my brother stood up to Gary defending ME! The size difference between these two was something like David and Goliath but unlike the Sunday school story my brother was no match for Gary. All it took was one push and the last thing on my mind was my puka shells. They didn’t even exist as my left hook made contact with Gary’s nose!

That protective nature turned into a friendship with my brother that rivals no other. Just this last week he had someone say something to him that brought that protective nature straight to the surface. When questioning a proposed business deal, he was told, “Everyone is going to think your crazy and it can’t be done. That’s because they can’t get over their own in securities about what’s possible in life.” That statement really made me think. On the one hand, I believe far too often, people don’t take the opportunities put in front of them because of fear and the insecurities often allowed to take root. On the other hand, to question is good and to look to those in your life who have had successes and inquire as to their thoughts is even better.

The bottom line is you have to believe in yourself. Opportunities come to you by way of other people of that there is no doubt. Insecurities often arise from the same source. They are both only seeds. Opportunity and insecurity have to be nurtured in order to grow. Only you can give life to them by believing in them and aiding them into development. It’s true that small people will attempt to break you down but it is equally true that big people will work to build you up. Either way, it’s you who decides!