“When we spend our lives waiting until we’re perfect or bulletproof before we walk into the arena, we ultimately sacrifice relationships and opportunities that may not be recoverable, we squander our precious time, and we turn our backs on our gifts, those unique contributions that only we can make,” Brene Brown
I promised myself after Covid that I would do more in life!!! More of the things that bring me joy but also more of the things that challenge me, mind body and spirit!!!! I vowed that the only way I could find out how far I could go was to go farther than I think I could go. I promised that if it was hard, then well I would just grab my shirt that says, “ Punch Hard and Eat Tacos.” and my boxing gloves and push past the hard!!!!
I want to tell you that this boxing stuff is really TOUGH and to be honest I am not that great at it YET!!!! I am kind of embarrassed at times and feel like I need to be in the remedial class. When someone asks me to be their partner I almost cry, okay sometimes I do cry I am grateful and I know that they could have been a smarter picker!!!!
So this is the part about doing what you don’t want to do and how good it feels when you do it when you really really do not want to!!!
Last week I had taken off a few weeks from boxing because I was knee deep in a fundraiser but to be honest that was just my excuse du jour of the week. So you know how you feel when you have not been working out and then you jump back in, well that is how I felt. But add to it, feeling like you can not remember any of the combinations that they are calling out to you and you want to run out the door and not come back.
I was once again that 1st grade kid adorned with cateye glasses with a rhinestone in the corners, and a patch over one eye, and glasses so thick you could burn an ant. I was lacking all manner of confidence when it was time to be picked!!! This sweet precious Jackie said, “Come on I got you!!!” I was so self conscious and all I could think at first was bless your heart you drew the short stick. But time and time again, Jackie showed me the moves and seemed to be so ecstatic when I got it right!!!
Exhausted and really wanting to slip out the back door, we entered the last phase of the conditioning and every muscle and every fiber was screaming stop!!! But half way across the floor where I was the only one still trying to do the move and make it to the other side, feeling inadequate and ashamed to be the only one not finished by a long shot…. They all began to yell, “ You got it Ya Ya, you are strong, you are a badass, don’t stop, you are almost there!!!! You can do it!!!! “
Life can get really tough all on its own and you can have curve balls and disappointments and challenges that you didn’t see coming but when someone that you least expect says, I got you it gives you energy that you forgot that you had. And when someone says I got you and it is followed up with a crowd full of love yelling YOU GOT THIS, then you remember you do got this!!!!
I did not want to go that night, I was afraid because I knew that I had not been consistent and I even thought of quitting and leaving and I am so thankful that I did not because I would have missed the gift!!!! I can not wait till the day that I can pass on my Punch Hard, Eat Tacos shirt and tell the new kid, I got you!!! And I can join the love crowd and cheer the next one on!!!! WE got you, We all got you and We have each other. The more we push past hard, the more we can help others push past hard!!!
Thank you so much for all of you amazing humans who are the very REASON that I am able to do more of what I love in life. You make my life so full and I love being in the arena with you!!!
All my love, every bit of it!!!!
Karen Key Smith