One of my passions in
life is personal growth. I'm pretty much addicted to improving myself. I want
to know where I need to adjust and need loving people who will tell me where my
blind spots are. Crossfit meets so many of these desires so I just can't help
but talk about it all the time.
What Crossfit has
taught me:
Patience- It takes
time to develop a skill. Strength doesn't happen overnight. It takes showing up
consistently to gain ground.
Contentment- I am
tempted to compare myself to those that are faster and stronger than me and it
usually leaves me feeling discouraged. You have to appreciate where you are and
focus on progress. Your victory doesn't lessen my victory.
Discipline- Setting
goals can be scary and overwhelming. After all, you might fail.
You're probably
going to be uncomfortable . You might have to tell yourself "no" to
something you want now, in order to get what you want in the future.
Humility- It's
intimidating to try a new skill in front of other people. It's even more
embarrassing to mess up when you do. It's crucial to learn to laugh at yourself
and not take failure too seriously. When you fail at something, it means you
tried. The bigger failure would be to not try.
Community-There's a
lot to be said for spending time around people that are like-minded. Being
around others that are motivated, disciplined, and desire to improve
themselves, is contagious.
Commitment-Going to
the gym on the days I would rather stay on the couch in my pajamas watching
Netflix, are the days that I need to go the most.
Motivation is a
fleeting thing that never sticks around long, so you have to decide beforehand
what you will do.
Camaraderie- As most
cross-fitters know, we cheer loudest for the last one left working.
It usually means
they are trying the hardest. Having someone cheer you on gives you strength to
finish strong and not give up. "Your confidence makes me stronger"
(Trolls movie).
Self love- When my
body does something that I, never in a million years, thought I would be able
to do, I am amazed. Your body is a tool.
You can feed it
love and health or you can feed it loathing and junk. At the end of the day,
making yourself a priority enables you to love others better.
Persistence- Skills
that I've tried and failed at dozens of times become frenemies. You hate the
repeated failure, but it drives you to keep trying and not give up on mastering
the skill. I have a lot of frenemies. But less than I used to.
Mental fortitude- So
often my mind wants to quit before my body has even started. This is where the
real test is. You can push your body, but not until your mind overcomes your
thoughts.
Accountability- It's
humbling to be corrected on your form or to be encouraged to push a little
harder. Those who care most about your success will hold you to a standard. The
ones who are teachable benefit from it.
Overthinking is bad-
If I think too much about what I'm doing, I almost always miss a step or get
out of my rhythm. Overthinking leads to anxiety.
Sometimes, you
gotta "just do it" and stop thinking.
Resilience- I have
literally wiped out during a workout. You have a choice in that moment of pain-
both physical and emotional- to quit or to push through the pain and keep
going.
Gratitude- I have had
seasons in my life when disease made it too difficult to get off the couch,
much less make it to the gym. Those dark times make me appreciate the healthy
seasons when I can make it to the gym.
I am grateful for
my body and its ability to heal and do work.
Focus- It's easy to
get overwhelmed. Some days you look at a WOD and think there's no way you'll
even finish it. The mountain in front of you seems
insurmountable. Just taking the next step over and over again, gets you farther
than thinking about how hard it looks.
Rest- Rest is
sometimes the hardest discipline of them all. A person can't work all the time
without serious consequences to their body and relationships. You have to force
yourself to rest and recover in order to be able to continue.
I know that Crossfit
is not the only place you can build character, but I'm partial to the
atmosphere because it has been so life changing for me. Crossfit has refined
every area of my life. Bottom line, do something that challenges you on a
regular basis and you'll reap benefits that are more than just muscle.
