Sometimes you have to destroy your narrative. My athlete mind has been holding onto anger at myself for allowing situations to drag me down last summer. I let obstacles in life impact my training and racing. I had a narrative. I had a story about myself failing to meet my full potential. We all have tales sometimes that we carry around with us. Stories that hold us back as athletes and as people. These ties to the past and tales we tell ouselves are often keeping us from enjoying the present and future. I had not been able to forgive myself for what I allowed to go on but that meant it continued to hinder me as an invisible mental barrier. This week I revisited the situation (though it’s hard to look back) and I’m seeing it wasn’t a story about me being a completely weak triathlete who should have done xyz. My ability to rise above adversity of tremendous magnitude, endure and then go race an ironman despite every life stress and obstacle that would just break many should give me a story to give me confidence in my own abilities. It’s a tale of reassurance that I have an incredible support network. It’s a reflection of my caring nature that I was so affected (and yet so protective) and a story of my determination that I did control the emotion well given the magnitude and I went on anyway to enjoy the journey as best as I could. There are the silver linings. There are regrets and mistakes but those come with lessons. Letting go of all the could have, should haves is freeing. It’s a little late, but its never “too” late to allow yourself the opportunity to move on and succeed. What narrative do you have that could stand to be destroyed?
Posted a while back… a nice reminder!