You are Stronger than you Think...

in life, at the gym, while climbing a rope, just being you.

On Easter Monday, I went to a later CrossFit class at 9:15am and not my typical 5am club.

Coach Kelly came up to me after the workout and said something to the effect of, “I don’t get a lot of chances to see you work out Patty, but I think you are a lot stronger than you realize. I think you can lift heavier than what you do in the gym.”

We had a good back and forth chat about it and I have been thinking about it ever since. I really took her words to heart.

Partly because I have been working on building more muscle and a leaner body mass to get stronger in my gym performance since December. I am eating about 600-800 grams of veggies each day, drinking maybe once a week, and zeroing in on my food to help support my performance in the gym. I am eating in a way that is helping me to think, “how can this help me perform better in the gym?”

Partly because her words remind of the strength I have shown in the life I am living. It takes strength (and faith and hope and surrender and humility and self awareness) to do hard things in life.

One of the many ways to be strong…

When I hear the word strength, I primarily think about physical strength, like building weight in deadlift or getting a faster time in running a mile. Or the amount of physical strength it takes a woman to push a human being out of her body (you mom’s are the real superheroes!).

It is that and so much more.

Strength of character and willpower. Strength of your mind and grit. Strength to do hard things and navigate the (many) bumpy surprises that the journey of life throws your way. Strength to be true to yourself and your inner knowing.

Strength to use your voice, stand up, speak out, and be who God created you to be. Strength to follow a dream or do the new thing while feeling scared and brave all at the same time.

I am stronger than I think.

You are stronger than you think.

In life. In love and ability. In your dreams and character. At the gym, doing the hardest thing you’ve done, in growing a human, in forgiving the person who caused you the most pain.

In being the amazing, bad-ass that God created you to be.

Your inner strength is your superpower and it is mine too.

Sometimes we forget or lose it. Other times we feel we’ve been robbed of our strength. Just as the human soul has deep places and spaces inside itself, you can dig deep and find this well inside yourself.

What is making you feel strong and brave in life right now?

Say it out loud. Celebrate it. Own it and share with someone else.

I am feeling strong in hitting a CrossFit goal three-ish years in the making - getting my rope climb.

Oprah Winfrey once said, “where there is no struggle, there is no strength.”

I think she might be onto something. The struggle, the journey is what makes us stronger - is what forms us and stretches us like a rubber band.

The is such strength moving and breathing inside you, inside me. All we have to do is unleash it into the world.

You are a royal, beautiful badass and I hope you know it!!

Here’s to celebrating your strength along with mine,

Patty