Shoes

 "We can never walk in someone else’s shoes for a mile or even a footstep, but we can hope of a better understanding and to learn to walk beside someone else, and attempt to see things, a small glimmer from their perspective for a short while.  But in the end we revert back to us and they them and hope we took something from it." - UNKNOWN

   We have all heard the saying, " You can never understand someone until you walk a mile in their shoes" and it is very true, to a certain extent. When we speak with friends and family about experiences, or situations we were in, or are currently going through (good or bad) they only understand to the extent of how they would feel, or react in that situation, and vice versa.
    When we try to put ourselves into an experience that someone else has or had, we are able to put their shoes on but they never fit correctly. We can feel our feet inside their shoes (experience), but we are feeling them through our own feet (perspective), therefore, we can never truly understand what it is like for those individuals.

          Every body has their own unqiue story, backgrounds, up bringings, habits, and rituals that cause us to react, feel, and think in different ways. Realizing this may help us to better understand someone, but we will never, ever know them, or what it's like to be them completely. That doesn't mean we still can't be there for the people we care about, or help them; absolutely you should! Maybe it will allow us to be there for people in our lives they way they need us to be. Maybe if we stop trying to put their shoes on and simply listen, open our hearts up to what they are saying we would be able to become better listeners! You do not need to understand completely what someone is going through to be there to support, care, encourage them and even grow ourselves! Every encounter with someone is an opportunity to make a difference, to send out positivity. Start getting excited, caring about other peoples stories and journeys, as well as your own. Share your experiences because people learn through them as much as you learn from theirs!

       

Today I am grateful that I made it through my first week back at work and had a great weekend to top it all off! It's was great to get back into the swing of things and I am excited to see where this school year takes me!  

-A

2013 Dreams, Goals, and Resolutions (part 1)

   My biggest goal for 2013 is healthy, healthy, HEALTHY! In the past few years, 5 or 6 roughly, I have obtained some very unhealthy habits ranging from poor eating, to smoking cigarettes, to drinking more frequently than necessary. I have always been more overweight for my height (5'0) . I played soccer from the time I was able to walk until my sophomore year of college. Since then, I have put on weight, my lack of physical activity and poor habits put my health in a dangerous category, and I'm only 23 years old.


   So how am I going to change this? Good question! For years I had promised myself to join the gym, eat healthier, wake up early and go running. I would start off great, but like most people, becoming discouraged always out weighed any progress I made. In the last 6-7 months I've had the pleasure of watching a complete life transformation happen for my older brother and sister through Crossfit. If you don't know exactly what Crossfit is, here's the scoop: " CrossFit describes its strength and conditioning program as “constantly varied, high intensity, functional movement,"[4] with the stated goal of improving fitness (and therefore general physical preparedness), which it defines as "work capacity across broad time and modal domains."[5] Workouts are typically short—20 minutes or less—and intense, demanding all-out physical exertion. They combine movements such as sprinting, rowing, jumping rope, climbing rope, flipping tires, weightlifting, carrying heavy objects, and many bodyweight exercises; equipment used includes barbells, dumbbells, gymnastics rings, pull-up bars, kettlebells, medicine balls, and boxes for box jumps.[6][7][8] These elements are mixed in numerous combinations to form prescribed "Workouts of the Day" or "WODs". Hour-long classes at affiliated gyms, or "boxes," typically include a warm-up, a skill development segment, the high-intensity WOD, and a period of individual or group stretching. Performance on each WOD is often scored and/or ranked to encourage competition and to track individual progress. Some affiliates offer additional classes, such as Olympic weightlifting, which are not centered around a WOD." (Wikipedia)


   Both my siblings have been on my tail about joining, ever since I took an Intro class at the box they go to called Brazen. The reason why I didn't sign up right then and there was because my ass was literally  handed to me that day. It took a few months of deep thought, and a heavy dose of reality to make me decide that this is a journey I want to be apart of. I found a box near my house called Marlboro Crossfit, and took an intro class this past Thursday with my friend Katie, and we both plan on signing up for the monthly essentials class this Tuesday. So here goes nothing! I know that I will be successful because I love already the way CrossFit has pushed me physically and mentally.

Starting Tuesday, I will be taking pictures every two weeks to document my physical changes through Crossfit. Come along with me on this journey! Through inspiring other people, we inspire ourselves and vice versa.





-A

Support

"Support those who support you."

     Support, as defined (one of many definitions) by Merriam Webster, literally means to keep (something) going.  When I take the definition and apply it to my life, I think about all of the support I have around me whether they are people, places, or things. I'm fortunate enough to come from a family who's foundation has always been driven by strength. I was taught from a very young age that struggle makes a person stronger, that over coming obstacles is a huge growing point in life. I learned to lean on my family for SUPPORT , they kept me going during some very rough times (and still do) .Now, think about who, what, and where you look to for support in your life. Is it positive or negative support? While getting SUPPORT are you returning it?
     Let's use CrossFit for example. Every day that a CrossFitter shows up to the box they are greeted by people who SUPPORT them, not only during the work out, but through out the day, and through out life. A lot of CrossFit boxes have specific websites to update members about information, and class changes. Where members can post inspiration, articles and other things CrossFit related. I often find that when I am having a rough day, someone will post ATLEAST one thing to change my day around, or even just the way I'm thinking for that moment. The trickle down effect of this is absolutely life changing.
     All of us at one point or another had negative support around us, people who hindered our ability to grow, fed on our insecurities, betrayed us, or simply did not understand our passions. We often kept these people around because it was comfortable, and at the time, we could not understand how negatively they were effecting us. Have you ever been doing a WOD and had person come up to you and tell you not to push harder? To give up? Quit? It doesn't happen. How many times have you had a bad day and it's been completely turned around just by going to the box? During your challenges the same people you are competing with are the ones building you up to be better! 
    How many times at work are the people you are competing with; maybe for a raise, a new job position, or just to be "liked"  are actually encouraging you to push harder, to be better? This rarely happens. Most of the time they are trying to belittle you to make themselves seem better. The only way to beat this mentality in every day life, outside the box, is to use the tools we learn at CrossFit in our daily lives. Regardless of what they do, always encourage them to be better versions on themselves, because if CrossFit has taught me one thing it's that wanting people to be the best version of themselves, celebrating in their achievements, and failures, pushing them forward with SUPPORT allows the spectators of these millstones to grow as well.
    Surrounding yourself with positive support instead of negative support is a huge factor for success, which ever way that is defined for the individual. Think about how much your life has changed since joining CrossFit. Most people feel happier, more determined, more clear headed, and want to take chances. Mediocre doesn't not suffice anymore when you have a good support system behind you.

     Now while having a great support system behind you is vital, making sure you are giving back the same support is important ! Using CrossFit again as an example,think for a second about all the support, and things your coaches do and sacrifice for each member. Some coaches work 6 days a week at the box, some work two jobs, some have families,and some don't even get to work out every day. Not to mention they all have their own responsibilities and things they need to do outside of CrossFit. They support your dreams and goals. Some coaches even drive all over the state (and out of state) to go support members of the box in different competitions. Hell your coaches are probably the first people who helped you start believing in yourself (CrossFit journey wise), then they propel you forward to take even bigger risks in life. 

    While often times our coaches become our inspiration, people we look up to, our heroes (for many different reasons), at the end of the day they are humans too. They need SUPPORT, people to believe in them, and push them past the walls they set for themselves. A lot of coaches are of the competitive nature, maybe not every single weekend, or maybe just a few times a year. They work very hard to get to that level, to be able to teach proper form, lift heavy and efficiently. MOST coaches started in the same Free Intro Class and On-Ramp program that we all go through. Their journeys although different, are very similar in that aspect.

      Next time you have a free weekend I would go check out a competition ( if you are not a competitive CrossFitter) and SUPPORT your Coaches, and fellow CrossFit teammates who support you every day. You don't have to compete to be a part of the team, the side line support is just as important. Competing takes a whole different level of guts, to put yourself out there and compete against some of the best, to step outside of the comfort zone of your own box takes courage, every single time you do it! That needs to be recognized, appreciated, and supported!

       Take time to thank you coaches when you hit a PR, get a muscle up, or do your first strict pull-up. Although you are putting in the work to accomplish these goals, you wouldn't have the opportunity to hit those milestones without your coaches. Ask your coaches what there goals are in CrossFit, what PR they are fighting for next, be as concerned and curious about their goals as they are yours. CrossFit is an amazing community, where "the whole is greater than the sum of it's parts" (Aristotle), so don't forget to give back equally as much support as you are given (in CrossFit and in life) !

Today I am grateful that I am learning to keep a positive outlook on situations that could easily be viewed negatively. Hopefully with in the next few days I will know exactly what is going on with my injury and recovery can begin taking place. Positive thoughts, positive recovery!



-A