Pep Talk

Some days, we all just need a pep talk.  Get ready to hear one of the best ones I've heard in a while...(compliments of an amazing 9 year old boy...) 

I know some folks have heard of the Youtube sensation "Kid President" for quite some time, but I was just introduced to his speeches last week & I'm hooked.  Kid President's real name is Robby Novak and he's a 9 year old boy who makes speeches every once in a while to spread the word about how people can make the world more awesome. 

He also happens to have a rare brittle bone disease.  He's already had over 70 bone breaks in his short 9 years of life, but that has not kept him from having one of the best attitudes of any kid in the world.  

Sometimes, his messages are directed at specific groups.

In January of this year,  Kid President released a speech with a target audience of tiny humans: it’s a message to babies on the day of their birth, Kid President’s Letter to a Person on Their First Day Here.

”Today, over 360,000 babies will be born. And you are one of them. Welcome, this is the world!”  

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5-EwrhsMzY

In the video, he explains that life, in general, is awesome. Acknowledging that there are some bumps in the road of life, he advises that little people not to take the mean people too seriously. Most importantly, he wants the babies to know that “we’re glad you’re here.”  

Here are a few of our favorite lines: 

“Just treat everybody like it’s their birthday. Even if they don’t deserve it sometimes. Because we all mess up sometimes. The biggest mess up? Not forgiving each other’s mess ups.”

“Maybe you’ll be a teacher. Maybe you’ll be the president. Maybe you’ll cure every disease ever… this is so much. It’s a lot. Try to take a breath.”

“Some days gross things will happen. Some days awesome things will happen. Some days you’ll get ice cream. Some days you won’t.”

“I don’t think I told you this yet. We’re really glad you’re here. We don’t say that enough to each other here. Because, well, life gets busy. You’re gonna be important. And you’re gonna do a lot, and you’re gonna smell great. But don’t get too busy. Remember to let everybody know you’re glad they’re here. You don’t have to remember all this right now. You’re gonna need a pep talk sometimes, and that’s OK. For now, remember this: You’re awake. You’re awesome. Live like it.”

"You should give people high fives just for getting out of bed. Oh, high fives! I forgot to explain that. How do I explain this? Um…It’s kind of high fives are like hitting someone who is your friend. Uh, that’s really bad."  

“You, you’re awesome. You’re made that way. You’re made from love to be love to spread love. Love is always louder, no matter what. Even if hate has a bullhorn.”

 

The transcript of the whole speech in case you need a little more awesome in your day: 

"There’s a lot that the kids need to know. A letter to a person on their first day here. Today over 360,000 babies will be born and you are one of them. Welcome! This is the world. It’s a pretty cool place. There’s lots to see, smell. There’s corn dogs. Uh, I’m getting ahead of myself. There’s just so much to do, singing, dancing, oh and laughing. Laughing is the best. Especially great when you laugh and milk comes out of your nose, but only if you just had milk. Otherwise it’s just gross.

Some days gross things will happen. Some days awesome things will happen. Some days you’ll get ice cream. Some days you won’t. Some days your kite will fly high. Some days it gets stuck in a tree. That’s just how it is here.

There’s plenty of reasons to dance. You just got to look for them. Don’t worry though. You won’t be doing this alone. You’re going to meet lots of people here. Some of them will be really nice and some won’t be. It’s not that they can’t be. It’s just – maybe they’re just having a bad day.

Being a person is hard sometimes. You should give people high fives just for getting out of bed. Oh, high fives! I forgot to explain that. How do I explain this? Um…It’s kind of high fives are like hitting someone who is your friend. Uh, that’s really bad.

Just treat everybody like it’s their birthday even if they don’t deserve it, because we all mess up sometimes. The biggest mess up? Not forgiving each other’s mess ups.

Maybe you’ll be a teacher. Maybe you’ll be President. Maybe you’ll cure every disease ever. You might even see the Grand Canyon, swim in the ocean. Oh this is so, so much. It’s a lot. Try this, take a breath. Isn’t that amazing? It’s called breathing! You’re going to do it a lot. But nobody knows exactly how much. So enjoy it.

Pay attention. Take brain pictures, because amazing things will happen every day. You’re going to do so much. But it’s not about what you do. It’s about who you are.

You? You’re awesome. You were made that way. You were made from love, to be love, to spread love. Love is always louder, no matter what. Even if hate has a bullhorn, love is louder. So let your life be loud. Let’s shout to the world. Things can be better! It’s okay about all the mess ups! Corn dogs rule! Sorry, I just keep bringing that up.

I don’t think I told you this yet. We’re really glad you’re here. We don’t say that enough to each other here because, well, life gets busy.

You’re going to be important and you’re going to do a lot and you’re going to smell great. But don’t get too busy.

Remember to let everybody know you’re glad they’re here. You don’t have to remember all of this right now. You’re going to need a pep talk sometimes. And that’s okay.

For now, remember this: You’re awake. You’re awesome. Live like it.

......

Hey! I’m not only Kid President, I’m also an uncle. We made this for a special little guy named Miles. And I’m trying really hard to teach him to be a person, an awesome person! Pass this video along. What do you think the kids need to know? Help me out! I’m making a list! Do you make YouTube videos? Make a video! Draw a picture, write about it, tell me and the world.

Everybody has someone younger than them and they should be teaching them awesome stuff. Grownups, it might be a little scary, but it’s true. Kids are learning to be people by watching you, for real. Now if you’ll excuse me, I got some dancing to do.

Pass this video along. Give more people reason to dance. You awake. You’re awesome. Live like it."