YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH: FIVE MINUTE FRIDAY ⋆ FINDING FINISH LINES

I wish you could hear how your actions speak so much louder than the words you use to hide from your greatness. I wish I could convince you that you are good enough.

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You know that feeling in your stomach when you just really aren’t sure you are ready for what comes next?

The “Can I? Can I not?” feeling.

You can probably feel it right now just imagining it.

Well, I happen to think we endurance athletes might just be addicted to it: That quest to discover that you are good enough, whatever good enough means in your life right now.

To some degree, this feeling shows up in me before every single long run, ride, or swim. I don’t just mean those workouts when I know I’m doing something different like adding in more strides or a further distance.

I mean every single one.

The whole universe of potential that waits right in front of me as I stand on my front porch waiting for my Garmin to get GPS, those endless possibilities light. Me. Up!

That instant right before you start? That’s a sacred space.

It’s a mindset moment reserved really for endurance athletes that have poured their hearts into the sport, right? Those of us that just keep showing up even when we are tired, or busy, or heartbroken, or elated.

We know from experience that those days when we don’t feel like ourselves, don’t feel talented, don’t feel super prepared…we know that those can even be breakthrough workouts.

You have had this happen, right?

You go out feeling well..meh… and you start feeling like you just can’t catch the rhythm. Then you look down at your wrist and realize that the reason everything feels just a little off is because you are cruising at a brand new pace without jacking up your heart rate.

You have improved and didn’t even realize it. You’re getting fitter and faster.

It felt hard because it was hard, not because you aren’t good enough.

Because you are good enough.

You grew, your options expanded not because of a single day act of courage, but because of the cumulative effects of just doing the consistent work.

We know that happens. We know that it might not, but we know that it could. We are showing up for it, over and over and over.

We are addicted.

So I have to ask, why do you still question it?

Why do you still keep the title of “Runner” or “Triathlete” or “Swimmer” or “Walker” whatever it is off of yourself?

Can I just tell you that nobody is coming down from on high to declare you an athlete?

There isn’t some certifying body that will declare you good enough to join the ranks.

This one is all about you.

It’s time to celebrate you.

Even if you are still using unkind language for yourself, even if you are calling yourself “Slow” or “Fat” or “Lazy” or whatever the word is that you fall back on simply because you always have but not because it’s true, those nasty words can’t take away the truth of who you are.

An athlete.

A super brave woman who finds herself between starting lines and finish lines as often as she can muster.

A woman who is good enough.

You’re greatness is loud

Mike Reilly, the voice of Ironman, quotes from Byrce Courtenay in his book, “Finding My Voice.” He says, “What you are speak so loud that what you say cannot be heard.”

All I could think of are my dear athletes who are so loudly talented, brave, hard working, inspirational athletes and how the roar of who you are positively drowns out the negative talk of what you say you are.

If only the the acoustics of it worked as well on your insides as they do on the outside.

I was thinking of how the people around you probably sort you into the “Athlete” category of their acquaintences long before you woud place yourself there because it takes you so much longer to decide that you are good enough.

you know what? I was thinking today would be the perfect day for you acknowledge who you are.

If you are brave. If you lace up those shoes, or squeeze into the suit, or practice those transitions, then I think it’s time to slip into the words, too.

Maybe it’s not in sports that you hold back from accepting how great you really are.

Maybe you are a fantastic freaking mother who values what is important and lets the little things slide and so you tell yourself you are a mess.

Maybe you are a friend who always shows up, who wears her heart on her sleeve, and always always gives, and yet you think you aren’t present enough.

Maybe you are an advocate for everyone around you, never backing down from a bully, always speaking up for what is right, and you’re convinced you arent doing enough because you can’t show up for every battle.

It’s time to slip into the garments of your greatness. They have been custom made for you and hung in the closet for way too long.

For whatever is about to come next, whatever start line you are standing on, literal or figurative, let’s take this moment to remind yourself that you are trained, you are ready, and you can handle whatever comes your way.

Why? Because You are good enough.

If you are looking for a community that believes in you until you are ready to believe in yourself, come join us in the new facebook group, We are Finding Finish Lines. We can’t wait to meet you!

I’ll be back in your ears on Monday. Enjoy the heck out of your training this weekend. Until next time, carry on, women of valor.