Today is a wonderful day for a lot of reasons. I’m alive, I’m breathing, I’m able to move my body, the sun is shining, I’m spending time with people I care about, and I’ve laughed a lot. There’s a long list of reasons why this is a good day. The number one reason though, is that someone I know is celebrating being clean and sober for ten years today. One of the trainers at my gym has reached this massive milestone and I truly could not be happier for her. While this isn’t a close friend or someone that I know very well outside of the time I spend at the gym, she has still impacted my life in a way that I will always be grateful for. She spends every day uplifting and encouraging everyone around her, and pushes them to keep showing up for themselves. I want to share some of the things she’s said that have really stuck with me.
- “Just because you haven’t yet, doesn’t mean you can’t.”
- “You didn’t work this hard and come this far just to quit.”
- “There’s a version of you six months from now that needs you to show up for yourself. There’s a version of you six months from now that will be glad you didn’t quit when it got hard.”
- “Don’t hope for something easier, work to be stronger.”
- “Don’t quit when you’re tired, quit when you’re done.”
- “The only person you’re in competition with is the person you were when you walked through those doors.”
- “Speak kindly to yourself.”
These are all things that she has essentially shouted at me while I am mid-burpee, dripping in sweat, struggling to catch my breath, and ready to fall over and give up. These words push me to keep going every single time, no matter how impossible it feels. This extends far beyond sprints and push-ups and kettle bell swings. I carry these words with me in everything that I do. The mental strength that I have built over the last two years has come directly from hearing these things over and over from someone that doesn’t give you the chance to give up on yourself. It has made such an insane difference in my life and in the way I show up for myself every day, which is why I wanted to share it with you lovely people.
I wanted to pass along the words that have changed my life for anyone that may need to hear them. There will be challenging times and moments that seem impossible to get through, but you just have to keep going. The only way to get the outcome you want is by learning not to quit when things are hard. You can slow down and you can modify, but it’s important to keep putting in the work. When I first joined this gym, there were so many things that I watched the people around me do that I just thought I would never be capable of. I thought I’d never have the confidence to try a box jump or to pick up heavy weights. I thought I’d never have the coordination to get a double-under or the endurance to run even a quarter mile without wheezing. But I have done all of those things and so much more. I’ve accomplished things that once felt impossible, because for two years I have been told that I am capable and that I can do hard things.
I know that this blog is a bit more serious than usual, but I just think it’s important for everyone to know that you are capable of anything you set your mind to. You are deserving of the life you want, no matter how far-fetched it may feel in this moment. My life has changed for the better because I crossed paths with someone that taught me the importance of showing up for myself and putting in the work even when it would be easier to quit. That’s something that I will spend the rest of my life being grateful for. To anyone reading this, please just keep trying and keep showing up for yourself. Again and again and again.
…Just Don’t Quit, Dawgs! ❤
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