Wednesday, December 9, 2009

A time for a change

"The reports of my demise were greatly exaggerated" - Mark Twain

I've been away a while, and with good reason - much has changed in my life lately, and although at first glance it seemed like things were headed south, nothing could be further from the truth.

At the beginning of November, I was, officially, burnt out. I had no desire to train, race, anything. And much of my stress stemmed from being in a job that I simply didn't love, that I had no passion for. So without going into detail, I was out of the field of law and had no prospects. For about 24 hours. Then I made one phone call, a call that would definitely change my life for the better. I'd been looking to become an ambassador for Lululemon in Oak Brook for a while, and called to talk to the manager, Jacqui Locke, wondering if they were looking for help. The response I received was a resounding yes, and ever since, I have been a proud educator at the store.

What I didn't realize at that time was how amazing of an environment I had been brought into. The positive energy of all my co-workers, the excitement of guests, the opportunity to grow with the company, and truly follow my passion. For the first time, I was somewhere where my passion for health, fitness, competition, and inspiring others to live healthier lifestyles could blossom and continue to expand, all with the support of my employer. Suddenly I was meeting people of like mind, looking to help, truly help me reach my goals as an athlete, an employee, and as a person. I could finally see my dreams coming true. And with each passing day I realized I discovered a career, not a job. My passion had become my work, and with it, a renewed sense of drive, desire and focus to regain strength as an athlete. Now, I don't see roadblocks to success as an athlete, I see opportunity, exploring new ways to get stronger, faster and injury free. Yoga, pilates, kick-boxing, muay thai, all became options for me to expand my fitness.

So now, when people see me, they seem surprised to see a more relaxed look on my face. They don't see that scowl. Not that I stopped being a smart ass, or lost my sense of humor. I'm still me, just happier. And it actually makes it easier to be around me. Especially for me. So, if you're looking for me, I'm at Oak Brook, educating guests on absolutely unbelieveable comfortable clothing for any activity, and building my desire to help others. Oh, and by the way, I'm more excited than ever to start racing again. I'm excited to toe the line next season with the top pros and discover how much I have improved, inside and out.

Stay strong,

Guy