“Know when to push, know when to pull back, know when enough is enough.”
I should be in Egypt right now, competing in a big fitness competition I qualified for over the summer…but nope!
Over the last few months, my anxiety levels began rising again, and after a few consecutive breakdowns, and several nights of poor sleep, I knew it would be wise to ‘take something off my plate’.
Knowing myself, and my competitive edge, I could’ve still competed even with the bad sleep, diet and training, but at what cost?
Even though I didn’t make it to the competition floor, I know deep down that my efforts in training have not been for nothing. There have been several ‘wins’ over the last few months. Most of my gymnastic skills improved, I hit some new PRs on a few lifts, and I even learned to swim with better technique. I’ve had the opportunity to compete with friends for fun, as well as to meet, train and compete alongside some new athletes in my area. Ultimately though, the biggest win of all was that I got to know more about myself, both body and mind, and I that I chose to prioritze my health above all.
Lately, I have been reflecting alot on the kind of athlete I want to be, at this stage of my life. Despite the fact that I still want to compete from time to time, I don’t want to add additional and unnecessary stress to my life.
I want training to be something I want to do, not something I feel I must do.
I want to remain disciplined, but also allow for some flexibility, especially with regards to the type of training I do.
I want to push my boundaries, stretch beyond my comfort zone, and continue to grow, but never at the cost of my health.
“So, now, it’s just showing up, being in a good headspace, having fun out there, and whatever happens, happens.”
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