We are so proud of our members who just competed at and completed their first (except for Rocky ;)) Strengthlifting meet!
From the idea stage (“there’s this thing you should sign up for!”), to the preparation, the doubting, the singlet nerves, the extra bit of discipline, the nerves, the week before, the night before, the morning of, the nerves, to the warm up backstage, the cues, the nerves, to stepping into the arena, and…
Performing! Whether you put it all together or it all fell apart, you stepped up to the plate and swung, and THAT is what matters.
Some of you might be surprised at how well you did despite all the things that might have gone imperfectly in the preparation and execution. The reality is there are so many things that factor into making lifts, especially competition lifts, and we only have control over a few of them in our busy lives. A few even placed highly in their respective divisions, which is surprising for first-time competitors. Congrats, and soak it up!
I’d like to take this moment to also reflect on how close these moments were to not even being. How easily you could have found a reason (there are many good ones) to cancel your commitment, or to not even start in the first place. Take a step back and look around. These moments, and the people who are ready and willing to step in front of a crowd of mostly unfamiliar faces and be… vulnerable. How rare and precious are they?
Then ask yourself: having done this once, did you gain access to some special knowledge that you didn’t have before that would have made it easier to do?
Maybe. Maybe not. In my experience, competition always comes with nerves. Putting yourself out there IS hard! Heck, to be vulnerable by definition means being uncomfortable, and not in a haha-that-tickles way. More like a get-me-out-of-here and an I-want-to-run-and-hide way. Ugh, who wants to do that?!
Well, it turns out you did this time. And each time you do it, you become better at it (it’s like a muscle), and more confident that the sometimes terrifying process leads to entirely gratifying feelings afterwards. Kindof like a good CrossFit WOD, but on a grander scale.
You may also see the glimmer of something beautiful that tends to come out of these moments of raw vulnerability. And it has nothing to do with how much you lifted or what place you finished. Our collective lights shine spectacularly bright together, and yours and ours give others license (even though they always had it) to shine brightly themselves, and each in their own ways. Maybe that means they do a lifting meet someday.
Or it could mean they sign up for swim team after all, stand up to their overbearing boss, start a small business or non-profit, take a big risk or adventure, or get out of a bad relationship. Or they could just decide to eat a little healthier, to go to bed and get up a little earlier, to improve themselves in some small but meaningful way that outside observers probably won’t ever be able to see and say “aha!” You never know, and you’re not looking for credit, so it’s all good. “It takes a village,” just as it did with you. But your simple and public acts of daring, small and large, do have the power to inspire others. And in our cultures, communities, and cyphers, that’s what matters.
Mauricio Leal
Cypher Health & Fitness Owner
