We hate putting ourselves out there, don’t we? Why is that?
Its scary.
But why?
I mean try to think of the last thing you did that took you out of your comfort zone. What was it and why did you eventually try it?
Probably had a friend coax you in to it, right?
Someone else had to tell you they believed in you, right?
Why is it SO hard for us to believe in ourselves?
Its hard for me. I am self-doubting and negative when it comes to my own confidence. But I have a new rule I adopted this year. I think I got the idea from my friend and “yogi” DeDe who had posted something on her Instagram account: “Do something that scares you each day.”
I decided I will no longer allow negative self-talk in my head. I will stop it in its tracks. Now, if that negative self pops up, I have to remove myself from the situation and pretend I’m giving advice to a good friend and take my own advice.
Dang it.
Sooooooo. When my CrossFit Coach DJ Elliott at Elavus CrossFit mentioned I might consider doing the Level 1 CrossFit Trainer course one day I totally blew it off (of course after my laughter finally subsided at the mere thought). Then he mentioned it again. I blew it off again with fervor. At the third mention, I realized I was going to have to come up with a better reason to NOT do it.
So I read all about the course thinking I would find all the evidence I needed that someone like me had NO business attending the course.
I was so, so wrong.
The CrossFit Level 1 Trainer Course is a first step. You don’t have to be able to perform all the moves. You don’t have to have perfect form. Its for people who want to get better themselves and learn about coaching. And I could help a pal, my coach, every now and then when he needed back up.
I didn’t have anywhere to run. No built in excuse.
Maybe I can play the “busy” card. You know, work, work, work.
But I love CrossFit. I wanted to get better. I would love to help people get on a path to health especially those who were overweight like me or helping older “masters” athletes scale CrossFit for them. I wanted to help my friend and coach. I was already there several nights each week.
So what was I afraid of?
Failing. Disappointing my coach. Letting myself down. Looking the fool. Not being good enough. Putting myself out there.
But I realized I’d stop a friend saying that in her tracks. I’d tell her to be a bad ass and go for it. What do you have to lose? And worse case scenario if you don’t pass, so what? You did the CrossFit Level 1 Trainer Course!
I looked at the schedule. I got nervous. I had made a decision to take the advice I would give a friend.
So I committed.
I went.
I hit my 100 pound weight loss goal on Day 2 of the course. The CrossFit team congratulated me in the closing remarks and I ugly cried.
Then, seven days later…
I PASSED.
I FREAKING PASSED.
It doesn’t matter that I was nervous walking in to a strange CrossFit box. It doesn’t matter that I knew there was a possibility I could fail. It doesn’t matter that I am horrible at taking tests.
Here is what happened in reality: the first person I met when I walked in was crazy friendly and amazing. In fact, everyone was. And guess what? I belonged. I have an awesome coach that prepared me well. I realized I knew my stuff. I was not out of place.
I was still terrified taking the test.
I was terrified opening the email.
And guess what. It was good for me.
My advice? Do something that scares you this year. Pick something that feels out of reach and just freaking go for it.
102 pounds ago simply doing CrossFit was laughable. Attending the CF-L1 course? I had already won. I was already a bigger bad ass that most of the other folks in the room. This is the advice I would have given to a friend.
Big shout out to pals Kendra (Elavus CrossFit) and Chad (CrossFit Night Train) who attended with me. Having cool people to hang with just makes it that much better.
In the meantime, that thing you’re thinking about doing? Go for it.
Be a friend to yourself.
xoxo,
jxj
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