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Thanks for cruising by and becoming part of my personal revolution of self-love, health, and hilarity!

Monday, May 27, 2013

Hero Wods

Working out on the holidays, especially Memorial Day, stopped being about burning off the days barbeque food when I started doing hero wods.  Hero workouts were created to honor fallen soldiers.  These work outs are brutal.  They symbolize the sacrifice our service men and women make for all of us.  Hero wods have also become a way for me to honor all of my friends and family who served our country. 

It's a small way to pay respect, but it is a way to remind myself how blessed I am and how hard others have worked to give me a really good life.  The men and women who serve are faced with psychological traumas and physical injuries that can change their lives forever.  They take on that burden and they do it well knowing what could happen as a result of their service. 

My hopes is that I can eventually help Veterans with these struggles through therapy.  Until then, I'm going to keep plugging away at this doctorate and these hero wods and be inspired by the selflessness and self-sacrifice of others. 

To all the Veterans, thank you and we honor you.

xoxo
J

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Tricky Tricky

A couple of weeks ago, I had my first experience getting to do a fireman's carry at a team training event at Crossfit West Chester.  It was so much freaking fun!  A lot of my gym buddies have been indulging me and allowing me to carry them around periodically.  The last person I carried weighed 185 pounds.  Some of the things we do are so mind blowing when you first see them and I think we become immune to how crazy some of our skills are.  I will never forget the first time I saw someone do a handstand push up and thought to myself, "That is the most bad ass thing I have EVER seen."  

One of my favorite things about doing some of these crazy Crossfit tricks is that I get to "wow" my dad with the shit I can do.  My dad was a coach and my number one cheerleader through most of my athletic career.  He came to almost all of my games, practices, and stuck through lesson after lesson and game after game.  I have recently spotted him watching the Crossfit Games from last year and trying to learn what the lifts are and the movements.  I'm thinking the next competition I enter, that I'm going to make sure my Dad is in the crowd :0) 

xoxo
J

Monday, May 6, 2013

Dear Crossfit Family


Dear Crossfit Family,
Thank you for helping me become physically stronger and mentally tough in ways I never thought possible.  Thank you for providing me with a support system and thank you for being there for me through the challenges I face- not just getting through a work out, but the daily struggles.  You have dried my tears when I'm angry and frustrated, taken me out on the town when I needed to unwind, and have continuously checked in with me when you know things are rough. 

You are not just people I work out with.  You are my community and you are my family.  You are like my brothers and sisters- we squabble, we resolve, and we get closer. You understand that lifting is not just about picking up heavy things, it is a metaphor for perseverance and overcoming life's challenges.  And if I need help, you are always there with words of encouragement, an ear to listen, and a belief in my abilities that far exceeds my own belief in myself.  You laugh with me, you indulge my bad jokes, and you cheer me on.  You allow me to do these things for you, by giving me the gift of supporting you and being there for you when you need a boost.

I feel grateful to experience this energy and this kind of love.  Thank you for helping me grow, showing me the life I deserve, and for always being there when I have a rough day and need a reminder of just how important personal growth and change can be.

Thank you.
xoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxo
J