Cheerleaders and Support Bras.

I'm sure we've all collected dozens of moments when the right person said the right thing at the right time. These moments help define and shape you as a human being over the years.  I've collected a few myself and wanted to share them with you.

Thank you, Austin, for giving me the following words of encouragement after doing poorly on an exam in college.
"Don't worry Jen. You just have to figure out how to study. One day everything will just click." 

Replace study with anything you're struggling with (love, work, make money, etc.). One day everything does just click. Just keep doing what you're doing and don't give up. In the meantime, enjoy the process and the journey it takes to get there. And surround yourself with positive people who encourage you every step of the way.

Thank you, Kym for encouraging me to get into coaching.
"Have you ever considered coaching? You'd be amazing at it." 

Funny - at the time I wasn't ready to hear the message. I ran into Kym at the Coaching Summit this past weekend and we had a good laugh about my refusal to acknowledge the teacher in me. I got to publicly thank her for the encouragement she gave me so many years ago.

Thank you, Mom for believing in me even when I had my doubts. I've put you through the wringer and you've always been my number one fan.

I called her crying after a track race my first year when I quit for the first time because I had no idea what I was doing. It was a post-Olympic year and the track scene in Portland, Oregon was flooded with strong contenders. During a points race, I was spit out the back and ended up quitting because I didn't know if I should keep going.
"Jennifer, look at who you're competing against! These are Olympians. They've been racing for a long time. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and get back in there."

That pep talk would fuel my motivation to get back on track every time I encountered failure. And trust me, that happened and still happens a lot.

Thank you, Leslie for seeing the light inside of me and making it grow brighter.
"I see something rare inside of you. You've got something kid that shines brightly. Cultivate it."

Leslie pulled me aside during a Coaching Training Institute seminar and practically whispered in my ear and it fueled my fire. And while I don't know exactly what that means or how it will apply - it sparked a sense of curiosity inside of me to be on the look out for how this applies to life.

I cherish those moments of clarity and unexpected impact. My goal is to reciprocate those messages of inspiration to others in the way they were passed onto me.

Who are the people in your life that have motivated you?

Holding your Feet to the Fire

What are you most afraid of but do anyway?

As much as I don't want to admit it, I'm afraid of public speaking. I have an upcoming presentation in front of 100+ of my coaching peers and I get sweaty palms just thinking about it.

Is it because I'm afraid of how they might judge me? What if I reframe it so that I look at it as an opportunity to share and teach them something I'm passionate about? That no matter what - I value what I do and am excited at the opportunity to share.

Suddenly that takes the fear and sweaty palms out of the equation.

I challenge you to hold your feet to the fire. To recognize something that scares you and to hold yourself in that uncomfortable space for just a little longer than usual to see what comes of it. Beauty unfolds when we stretch and reach and grow.

Holding your Feet to the Fire

What are you most afraid of but do anyway?

As much as I don't want to admit it, I'm afraid of public speaking. I have an upcoming presentation in front of 100+ of my coaching peers and I get sweaty palms just thinking about it.

Is it because I'm afraid of how they might judge me? What if I reframe it so that I look at it as an opportunity to share and teach them something I'm passionate about? That no matter what - I value what I do and am excited at the opportunity to share.

Suddenly that takes the fear and sweaty palms out of the equation.

I challenge you to hold your feet to the fire. To recognize something that scares you and to hold yourself in that uncomfortable space for just a little longer than usual to see what comes of it. Beauty unfolds when we stretch and reach and grow.

And DONE.

It's the end of a four day block of coaching/riding with our ALP Cycles Athletes and I'm cooked. We completed our camp at 3pm and I came home and promptly took a nap - passing out on the couch and enjoying the silence of our house after several days of extroversion.

Don't get me wrong - I really like being around other people. I am a hermit most days of the month at our house in the Gunbarrel neighborhood, barely inside of the Boulder City limits. The only sounds I usually hear mid-week are the tapping of my key board and Moonli's breathing while I write training plans, keeping up on my athletes, writing in my book, etc. And it's really nice to have a break from the routine.

But it's also nice to be home.

Tomorrow I get back into the routine and catching up on some neglected items this previous week from being on the go since Thursday. Here's to doing things outside of your comfort zone and interrupting the usual!