Believe in yourself

#thebestisyettocome2021

"One of the best feelings in the world is bouncing back.

Bouncing back from heartbreak, “failure”, paralyzing fear, self-doubt, low self-esteem, and lack of self-confidence."

Just over two months after my first ever weightlifting competition,

I made the decision to compete once again.

As I prepared for my second competition, many thoughts went through my mind.

To begin with, I have still been trying to sort out my ‘gut’ issues and this has been causing me to lose weight, strength and energy.

Of course, life in general (adulting as I like to call it) has been keeping me and my mind very busy too.

Lastly, I did so well in my first competition, I honestly wondered if I could live up to those same standards a second time around.

Nonetheless, I decided I’d give it a go...because you know how much I like a challenge!

This time however, I tried to alter my expectations for myself.

My main goal: be consistent and don’t fail any lifts.

I felt fairly good the morning of the competition.

I felt focused and prepared for what I wanted to do.

Unfortunately, I began warming up too early and peaked well before my first lift.

I failed.

I failed my first attempt at the snatch.

All I wanted was not to fail, and it happened.

I was upset, embarrassed and instantly discouraged.

I walked away, took some time to gather my thoughts, tried to pull myself together

and to re-focus prior to my second attempt.

With the support of some close friends and my coach,

I found the strength to bounce back.

My next two snatches weren’t pretty, but I fought really hard to complete them.

And, as I prepared for the second part of the competition, with a lift I generally feel more comfortable with (the clean and jerk), I began finding my confidence again.

I ended the competition on a high note,

getting a new PR on my clean and jerk and earning myself an unexpected bronze medal.

When the event was over,

I realized that I gained so much more than just a new PR and a bronze medal.

On that day and in the weeks leading up to it,

I learned a lot more about competing in a weightlifting competition (e.g. when and how to warm-up), but I also learned a lot more about myself and the importance of my thoughts.

In retrospect, I’ve realized that much of what I have learned about myself through training and competing is very applicable in other areas of my life (and vice versa).

In life, we are bound to experience lows,

however what matters most is how we control our thoughts

and how we bounce back when we’re down.

“The strongest factor for success is self-esteem:

Believing you can do it, believing you deserve it and believing you’ll get it.”

Comments

In a World Full of Noise, Let’s Show Understanding

“Not everyone processes uncertainty the same way, and that’s okay.” The past few days have been unexpected. What started as a normal Saturday - coaching at the gym, breakfast with a friend, catching up on work with the TV on in the background - quickly changed when I heard a loud “boom” coming from outside my apartment. At first, many of us in the community assumed it came from one of the many nearby construction sites. But, within the next few hours, the loud sounds came again and again, and word spread that these were missiles and drones being intercepted in the sky. I’ve always felt safe here in the UAE, and believe it or not, to a certain extent, I still do. Like many other residents here, I have a lot of trust in the country I’ve chosen to call home for over 11 years. I’ve seen it overcome challenges in the past, such as COVID and floods, and I’ve witnessed how much the leadership cares for the residents, particularly over the last few days. That said, it’s no secret that I a...

Living Out a Dream

“Have you ever stopped and thought: “Wow. I prayed for this. It’s here. It’s happening.”? I recently received a message from an old student from my very first school in Canada. It was a simple note, but it sparked reflection in me about where I’ve come from and everything that’s happened over the last 15–20 years. At my age, I often look around and see many of the people ( my age ) settling down; getting married, having kids, buying homes ( A dream for many, especially women. ). And sometimes, I can’t help but ask myself: what am I doing with my life? However, that message from my former student reminded me of something I often forget: I’ve already been living a dream. When I left my first teaching job in Canada, it was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made. I absolutely loved my students, and together we had built a really special bond. But at that time, I had a dream to travel the world; to immerse myself in different cultures and to learn from people whose li...

Back on the Dubai running scene

“The beauty of running is in its simplicity; just you, your breath, and the road ahead.” After a long hiatus, I finally made my return to the Dubai running race scene! When I first lived here between 2012 and 2017, I took part in many road races and absolutely loved the local running community. Even after moving to Vietnam, I kept the momentum going for a while, completing a few 10km, 21km and even a full marathon, especially in my first year there. But as I got more into CrossFit in 2018, running gradually took a back seat. Since then, I’ve continued to run, but without the same structure, purpose, or goals I once had. That all changed a couple of months ago when I decided to reignite my running spark and even joined a few run club sessions. I’ll be honest; those group runs have really pushed me out of my comfort zone! I’ve always loved a nice, long, slow run, but short and speedy intervals? Not so much. Still, being surrounded by people who share a similar mindset, who challeng...

One Rising Star

Search This Blog