As I finally decided to call it a season, its also that time of the year to reflect on all the good and bad, the lessons learned, and who helped you get to where you are. I'm a huge believer that one finish line is simply he starting line of another race. But in the bigger picture, life has no finish line, just a journey that can be filled with as much joy, adventure and love as we choose. This season, I was blessed to have a bit of everything - good, bad, sadness, joy, victory, defeat, love, loss, and everything in between.
I'm extremely grateful for my sponsors' without them, racing at this level would have been significantly more difficult. Its not just about the items they provide, its the supportive words, messages and signs of faith they provided me all year. They are more than sponsors, they are friends and as such, I would do anything to show my support.
Next, I'm extremely thankful for my coach, Jen, whom I know I gush about constantly but I really feel like I am not even giving her enough credit. Her faith in me is unyielding, and it gives me the strength to do more than I ever thought possible. I know our friendship as well as our working relationship is something that will last even the toughest of times.
I'm thankful for all my clients/athletes, I have to admit, I have learned more for each of you than anything I have taught each of you individually. All of you have and continue to provide me tremendous joy, wonderment, laughs and more evidence of the strength of the human spirit than I have ever imagined possible. All of you make me want to be a better man, coach and trainer.
I am extremely thankful for my family, but over the last 7 months, I have been given such a beautiful gift of family; one that I never dreamed possible. I reconnected with my godddaughter Kara, a smart, funny and very beautiful young woman, who came to me for the purposes of gaining fitness, but together, we have discovered so much more. We've become partners in crime, more like close siblings, with so much in common, so much to learn from one another, and the ability to have fun in any situation. She has been a huge breath of fresh air, and a true gift, one that I cherish with all my heart.
I'm thankful for all the detractors too, the ones who send me nasty messages, the sneers, the "mean mugging" looks, yes, I thank all of you for your anger, hatred, as misplaced as it is, and your jealousy; I continue to use all of that as fuel to propel me to greater things, to achieve more, to dig deeper, not just to help myself, but those whose lives I touch.
Lastly, I'm extremely thankful for having discovered Crossfit. It continues to teach me things of the amazing human body, spirit and mind. Its given me the chance to meet and work with people like Brian MacKenzie and Doug Katona, some of the most forward thinking people I've ever met, and to see things like the video below. The way I hope, beauty will be viewed for years to come. The paradigm shift I mentioned in the last post. Enjoy the video, enjoy the holiday. Again, thank you all for everything you have done and continue to do.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Stay strong,
Guy