Written by: Coach Vic
In the upcoming year in our fitness journey, let’s try to remind ourselves of why we’re here. One of the the most important things to keep in the forefront of our mind is the reason that got us through the door. Was it simply to have a healthier lifestyle, or something more complex like fueling an old competitive drive, or finding an activity to replace a self-destructive option. Whatever the reason, it brought you here. So, you’ve successfully figured out a way to make healthy living a part of your routine.
Just like anything else in life, routine can become mundane if we let it. You ever wonder why the most expensive cars have the highest upkeeps? Because when it’s comes to these cars, you have to order from the factory the car belongs to. If you were to order parts for your car from another manufacturer, the car would eventually break down because objects are being put into the car that don’t belong there.
How often are we doing this in the gym, placing goals from someone else’s path as our own? This will lead us to disappointment, every time. And it’ll blow out the flame which burned so used to burn so strongly that we’d never miss a day at the gym. Never. Remember why you started and let’s make sure our goals match what we once walked through the door to accomplish.
I’d think it would be fair to say that in the beginning of our CrossFit journey it was never about what did someone else get on the WOD, exact macros, or how someone else’s body compares to mine. It was about finding a community of people that believe in the same things we did: Hard Work Pays Off.
Health and fitness matter, and every one should have the freedom to be themselves. We knew that when we walked through the doors. We knew that for the next hour, something special was about to happen. The bullshit at our jobs didn’t matter, and all that outside stress felt unimportant for the next hour. We were going to be elevated from our worries in the outside world.
We felt a special harmony in the room when we all aligned with this energy. For some of us, this feeling became addicting.
It was never about the Thruster or a Pullup.
It was about the community. The family we had found.
In a society that praises negativity, the light shined in this building.
I believe that when our experiences where centered around that feeling, we all synchronized upon something sacred.
In this time, our focus was always “Oh god, I’m doing things with my body I never thought it could do”; not, “I’m a piece of shit cause I can’t flip on top of gymnastics rings.” At the foundation, there was so much appreciation for where we started and how far we had come.
Maybe this year, your focus shouldn’t be your Open finish, or how well you track your macros. Maybe it should simply be to find out how to fall in love with what you’re doing.
The fact that no one in your extended family has any interest in health and wellness and you walked through doors is incredible.
The fact you have your own family, job, kids, and still prioritize your health is incredible.
The fact you didn’t give up is extraordinary.