Anna:
Hi, welcome back to the show. Today, the day this episode is dropping, is my 52nd birthday. And I have been doing some reflection. I like to reflect on birthdays.
Recently, I did a social media trend that I thought was really fun. The graphic has two photos: one of you now, one of you as a kid. The text beside me now says something like, “I’ve turned my passion for whitewater kayaking into a business I couldn’t have dreamed of.” And the text beside little-girl me, who is in a frilly dress, says: “We whitewater kayak, what?”
Truly, my younger self did not even know what whitewater kayaking was and could not have fathomed what I’m doing now.
My parents went whitewater rafting once when I was 14 and I really wanted to go. They told me absolutely not. Too dangerous. I love my parents, love my family, but they are not the most adventurous. The fact that I took on this sport, went to the highest levels in competition and extreme racing, and even ran Class V at my peak, is incredible to me. And I think it’s worth pausing on.
That’s the point of this episode. I want to encourage you to look back and celebrate what you have overcome on your personal journey. Not compare yourself to anyone else, just really sit with it: that little boy or little girl could not have imagined what you’re doing now.
I read a book a couple of years ago, I believe it’s called 10x Is Easier Than 2x, and the author suggests an exercise where you write down 10 accomplishments or successes across different areas of your life, especially if you’re facing something new and the self-talk is getting loud. Look back at what you’ve already done that’s similar to what you want to do now, or where you’ve faced similar obstacles.
It’s such a good exercise, because I don’t often celebrate what I’ve accomplished. I tend to move on to the next thing, or I’ll even have this terrible habit of minimizing what I’ve done by comparing myself to others, or hold back from getting too excited. There’s a fear in that, getting too excited.
On occasions like a birthday, it’s a great day to celebrate yourself, acknowledge yourself, and spend some time being genuinely grateful for your life. And to look back at how far you’ve really come.
So my suggestion today, regardless of whether it’s your birthday or not: take a moment to think about your younger self and what they would say about you now. How blown away they would be. And if you’re still having a hard time celebrating yourself, write down 10 accomplishments you’re really proud of. Sit with them. Be grateful for who you are and what you’ve built.
I would love to hear from you. Share with me if you do the exercise or do some reflection. Email me at anna@mindbodypaddle.com.
And as a side note, don’t forget that the first Performance Lab is coming up on April 27th. Each Performance Lab is a 75-minute live online learning session with a cohort of amazing paddlers. The first one is focused on paddling efficiency, and we’ll be looking at how to uplevel both your technique and your mindset on the water.
Head to mindbodypaddle.com/performance-labs to learn more and register. They’re $27 per lab, or $87 for all four when you bundle. And if you’re already a member of the MBP Community, they’re included in your membership.
We’d love to see you there. Go learn more, and have a great day celebrating you.
