Joy on the Journey
The moment you discover that your life's work has been right in front of you this whole time...
~
On my way to the top of the Olympic podium, my innate drive to be the best got entangled with perfection. From that point on, my focus was always on the end result - the finish line moments, the next big goals.
It wasn't until recently that I learned the difference between healthy striving and perfection; healthy striving is self-focused while perfection is other-focused and driven from a place of fear.
With perfection driving, I lived my life in overdrive.
There was no time for play - no time to stop - no time to lift my head up and soak in the moments as they happened. When I hit a milestone or goal, I felt blasts of joy - temporary joy - that were gone before I could ever truly feel them. Always afraid that if I l stopped to celebrate, then I'd lose my drive to be the best.
Perfection is a beast.
It sucks the joy out of the journey. And tells us, among many other lies, if we just try harder, we'll find inner peace and happiness. When, in fact, it drives us away from the very thing we are seeking.
True Joy.
Perfection robbed me of being able to FULLY soak in my podium moment ~ the moment my childhood dream became a reality.
And. It robbed me of many, many moments that followed... I believed that the hyper-criticism would propel me forward... I believed that the 'finish line' moments would bring me all the things I was seeking. I spent so much time focused on all the things I could have done better - over-analyzing all the areas I came up short.
Never, ever, feeling good enough. Not even on top of the Olympic podium.
Three years ago, the rules of my world came crashing down around me as I came face-to-face with the harsh reality that trying harder is not always the answer - or even an option. As I watched the entire cardiac ICU respond to my daughter's code, my perfectionist armor shattered into a million pieces - not knowing what our future would hold... There was no such thing as trying harder.
I left the hospital with my baby girl + a vow - to live my life with my head up and eyes wide open. To soak in the moments of life as they unfurl.
To find JOY on the journey.
Here's what I know for sure...
You are enough. Exactly as you are in this moment.
No matter what perfection is telling you.
You are enough.
And. You can soak in the moments of life on the way to your dreams. Lifting your head to take it all in doesn't slow you down - in fact, it FILLS you up and energizes you for the long haul.
No matter how entangled perfection is in your life, you are capable of putting down the armor. Everything you need is already inside of you ~ sometimes it takes a coach or mentor to hold up a mirror so you can see it.
Sometimes, we need a little help along the way.
And, with help - coaching + mentoring + a willingness to move through the messy stuff - it's possible. I know because I'm living it now. The balance and freedom - and lasting joy worth every ounce of effort.
I am home with my girls - doing work I absolutely love - work that brings freedom and fulfillment - living a life by design.
No more overdrive.
Digging through my bins - without the perfectionist armor - has taken my breath away at times...
Especially when I discovered this book - Joy for the Journey - in a pile of old caps, jackets and other memorabilia. My life's work; it's been there waiting for me the whole time.
I've stepped in. Fully + completely. With so much gratitude.
THIS is my life's work ::
Helping others to cultivate the courage, compassion and resilience needed to achieve their own gold medal moments while stepping into a life that's fully their own - one filled with freedom, balance and LASTING JOY.
There is magic inside of you ~ waiting for you to step in.
Fully + Completely.
I can help you get there.
Let's do this.