Better than yesterday.

I have HAD it with this winter! It has taken all my will power to not hit the snooze and skip a workout or drown myself in carbs and Nutella.   We can push through it you guys, summer bodies are made in the WINTER!

Just when I was slipping into my seasonal affective disorder, the Crossfit Open started.  Thank goodness!  It kicked off this past Friday, such a fun time to be a crossfitter.  You get to compare your scores to the rest of the world, which causes some serious hype and good fun competition.  The BEST part of the open is honestly just cheering people on and watching other athletes destroy these workouts, doing more than they ever thought possible.  It is such an inspiring environment.  People even go to the gym when they are not working out to cheer on other classes.  It is just one big meathead party and it is awesome.

Last year I was completely humbled during the open,  every workout had a movement and a weight that I had not yet mastered.  While I didn’t even come close to comparing to other athletes, I was able to DO the workouts and that was so invigorating.   However, I would be lying if I told you I don’t watch other athletes and feel bad about myself sometimes… because they are stronger, faster etc.  Sure, I let those pity parties creep in a little bit but I know better than to stay in that dangerous place too long.  Thoughts go through my head like,  “I will never be that good.”  But that thought is SUCH a lie.  Am I that good right now?  NO.  But that doesn’t mean I cannot be.

If you were to tell me 10 years ago, when I was in high school Track/CC and not even fast enough to make varsity, what kind of pace I can run now…I would not believe you.   It took me over 14 years of running to figure out that I CAN be better than I am, that all it takes is a mental switch.  I will never make that mistake again.  I refuse to let another 10 years go by just assuming I cannot be a great athlete, and assuming that everybody is better than me.  I will no longer accept that.

Too often we get caught in this comparison game and it ruins us.   It’s easy to be the weak one, to applaud everyone else and wish you were like them.  It is uncomfortable to push yourself past your limits, to tap into your true potential and to work so hard it hurts.  Start having your own victories.  Everyone has to start somewhere.  I truly believe that the only difference between an elite athlete and a regular athlete is the mind, the determination and the discipline.  We all have it in us, many just don’t know it’s there.  But we have to start small.  We have to focus on our gains.  We don’t have to be better than everyone, we just have to continue to be better than yesterday.

 

Stay blessed in the MESS!