Blog 15 – A weekly challenge update, and a Thank You.
It’s Monday of Week 7, folks. With May 1 bringing the opening of a few places locally (namely some of our favorite member-owned businesses and coffee shops), we’re a little closer to the prospective future day that we get the gang back together again. But as to not get too lost in daydreams about the future, here we are with an update on our weekly challenge and somewhat of an admission that I, too, have been managing a bit of a motivational wall during this time.
I would like to begin by expressing my gratitude to all of you that have been showing up throughout this process. First with the members that diligently tried to continue with classes, then to all the folks putting in the effort to maintain a routine with so much unknown, and now to all the folks that seem to be finding their new (albeit short-term) normal. Each person in our community has continued to show up, set intention, and move forward. For those of you who feel like it hasn’t been enough, or those who feel that you aren’t doing as much as another member, that’s ok too. We (and the entire community) are here for you. And if you by chance haven’t been engaged much (or at all) with your coach and some how you’ve found yourself here, on Blog 15, that’s ok too. We’re here for you when you are ready and, as you need.
To further celebrate this, and noting that Mother’s Day is Sunday, let’s set the 5-point team challenge as:
- Post a photo this week of those that have been there for us when we were (or weren’t) ready and just as we needed. You know who and what to tag.
To those of you who are parents or guardians or mentors, Happy Mother’s Day in an especially weird time. To those of you who have lost such a relationship (me being in that category), I try to find comfort in reminding myself that they wouldn’t have left unless we were ready, which includes the feeling of solitude during a global pandemic.
Now for that admission. As a caveat, I speak solely of my own experience and not for other coaches. But I, too, have had my ups and downs throughout this process; finding a “motivational wall” as some of my teammates put it. I’ve had weeks that I worked out a lot, some that I worked out a little, some where I felt like I wasn’t good enough, some where I felt like a fraud, some where I just went through the motions, some where I just couldn’t believe that I didn’t have the motivation to go downstairs to my gym, and some where I’m unhappy about my body. This is nothing new. I’ve experienced all of these before and will certainly experience them again, but I’ve learned to keep reframing and re-centering these conversations – These are normal feelings. My body knows that there is a global pandemic and is responding appropriately (even if it is not how I want it to). This is short-term. I am not the person I was yesterday, or the one I was at 10, 20, or 30. Love and grace is something that I can choose. I can choose to show myself, and the people around me, love without needing a reason to. Emotions are very real. All of them are valid. They make us do funny things. They teach us about our selves if we’re willing to listen. It’s easy to spiral with absolutes or self-created (or culture-created) truths, and hard to be vulnerable and connect with others about their perspectives. I change by doing hard things. It’s hard to make mistakes and learn from them. It’s hard to give yourself permission to be human.
Thanks for being there for me, Strength Tribe. See you all soon!
D