"Thinking outside the box" what does it mean to me? by Samantha

"Thinking outside the box" what does it mean to me? by Samantha - October 2018 Scholarship Essay

       And what it means to me?

Hello I am a 17yr.old young women who is currently a senior in high school. I was a cheerleader for 7yrs. Of my life, and have been a cheerleading coach for a youth organization for the last 4yrs. I also have been playing fast pitch softball for the last 12yrs. Hearing the saying to think outside the box is a metaphor i probably heard my whole life. That i really didn't understand as a child. But now that i am older and hear myself saying it to my team, i can say, Think outside the box means to over look the situation, Not to be closed minded but to go above and beyond your expectations. Growing up i was a quite in closed child. Where i was scared to do things that where my ideas and just walk a straight line as you may say. As i became a teenager i realized its ok to speak up to give my own ideas and share them with others. I didn't just focus on what was infront of me but i decided to look and think outside the box! In a Cheerleaders perspective i guess my opinion is to not look at only the routine seeming hard, or the large crowd watching over you or your families expectations. But to do what you love to cheer, to be a base, a flyer & not let your fears get in the way to focus on your teammates and not do what you know how to do but excel at your sport. Keeping an open mind in what ever you do in life will always open new doors. So if you catch yourself think only inside the box. Remember your capable of more, everyone can have confidence in you but you need to have that confidence with in yourself and Think outside the box!