I know the focus of this blog is supposed to be about merging today and tomorrow, but with the Olympics on, I can’t help but think back to my glory days as a gymnast.
Now, I call them “glory days” but really, they were pretty tough. I knew early on that I didn’t have the heart (or um, the body type) to be a super great gymnast. I was short enough at 5’1″ but really muscular, and back in my day that was too “big”. (The big buff gymnast didn’t become an acceptable body style until probably the 2000s.). But I was still pretty darn good and worked really hard. We don’t need to rehash how my career ended (it was pretty emotionally scarring!) but whenever the Olympics come on, I think back fondly to my gymnastics days.
It takes me back to a time when I physically worked SO HARD. When I was doing things with my body that most people can’t even dream up. I spent HOURS upon hours in a gym every day and was tough. Really super strong and tough. Mentally and physically. I know I’ll never be that strong again (honestly no one really has a need to be) but I still miss having something that hard to work for. I miss the physical dedication and commitment–pushing through the pain for something that matters. I love the Olympics because it reminds me for a brief moment what that felt like!
It makes me wonder about goals and the work we must put in to reach them. Sometimes sports and goals that require physical exertion and training can be simpler–not int he work you have to put in, but in the formula. Do this many reps, train for this number of hours, and maintain mental focus. The more ambiguous goals of life and career are tougher to fight for, and there are no guarantees that you’re even “training” in the right way. Even if I’m not, I still want my fighting spirit back. The Olympics couldn’t have come at a better time, reigniting the desire to fight for something. Time to figure out what I want, and go for it! 🙂
The Ocean in a Drop 