Friday, July 15, 2011

Belief

Yesterday's swim included a 10 x 50y set on 50 second intervals. I had never been asked to do that and I knew it would be tough. I was nervous and thinking maybe my coach had confused me with someone else. But I realized he wouldn't have included it if he didn't believe I could do it. He believed I COULD do it.

And I did it!  On the last few I barely had time to press "lap" on the watch and head off again, but I kept coming back to the fact that he believed I could do it.

Maybe it's seen as a shortcoming that I don't have all that "belief" in myself. Or maybe it shows courage to use someone else's belief in me to bolster my own.

This morning I worked out with Kurt and hit chest and arms and it's the same thing with him.  He challenges me with things I sometimes shake my head at. Today's 40 lb incline dumbbell press might fall in that category, but I figured if he thought I could do it, I must be able to, and I did :-)

It's important to believe in others too as I've witnessed how that tiny seed can grow into tremendous things! It may only take a few words.

I look for opportunities to tell others I believe in them. Sometimes it just takes suggesting a 5K race (or marathon) to light a fire in a person! So many people sell themselves short and some words of encouragement can make a big difference.  As a parent, I show my kids I believe in them. I don't encourage totally unrealistic expectations, but I tell them when I know they can do something hard or scary!

I will add the belief I derive from others to the belief I have in myself as the volume and intensity of my training continues to build. I'll need it, next week's training plan already looks pretty scary!!


who's gun? click me!

I had no pictures for this post so took this one as a tribute to Nia Shank's great series on "How to be a beautiful bada$$".  Come on, ladies, believe that you can be strong and build muscle and go after it!!