I am Olympian. I was a rower in the women’s 8+ in the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea. Pretty cool, right? Well, for the longest time, I didn’t think so.
I was a part of the World Championship boat that won the silver medal the year before. Coming into the Olympics, we were expected to medal. Instead, we finished a disappointing 6th. It was heartbreaking.
Adding salt to the wound, the coach turned around and blamed the loss on the injured people in the boat, of which I was one.
Never mind, that we used an experimental boat, which had never been tried. Never mind, that, despite my back injury, every time I was tested prior to the games, I made the boat go faster. Never mind, that there were factions within the boat, and that we weren’t operating as a true team.
Unfortunately, in my vulnerable state, I bought coach’s story hook, line, and sinker. As a result, I shoved my Olympic experience far back in the closet, never to be spoken of again. Every time the Olympics were on TV, I started bawling and couldn’t watch. I shut out all my rowing teammates, both Olympic and collegiate. It was too painful to be around them. So, I cut myself off.
10 years later, I met Susan, who asked me about the games. I spit back, “Don’t talk to me about the Olympics.”
She kindly suggested, “You might want to do some work on that experience.”
I did. I began talking about my experience to other people. After some more work, I began integrating my Olympic story into the team work we did. Finally, more recently, I did more work, which blew my closet wide open!
OMG, I went to the f*cking Olympics—me!
I DID THAT! How f*cking cool is that?!
In only six years of being an athlete!
I am f*cking AWESOME!
No one can take away my Olympic experience from me.
I got jazzed, became amazed, and even impressed with my own accomplishment.
It was about time.
I realized that the Olympics, while behind me, will always be a part of me. I am an Olympian, forever and always.
To commemorate my experience, I decided to get a tattoo. I’ve never had one, nor been attracted to tattoos. However, I’m okay having the Olympic rings on my body for the rest of my life.
Then, October 31st, Susan and I released our book, The Beauty of Conflict. It was an Olympic-level accomplishment for me.
The day it was published, we were at The Haven, which is the place where I first started healing from my Olympic wound. It’s also the place I learned the foundation of skills I bring to my coaching and consulting. Susan and I came home and threw ourselves a book launch party. It was phenomenal.
I was so high from all the goodness in my life.
Actually, too high for me because I promptly got sick, depressed, and withdrew. I dropped off of Facebook. I didn’t go with Susan to teach a couple’s workshop. I stopped promoting the book except for what was already set up. Besides walking the dogs, I spent a good portion of my time in bed.
I felt too successful, seen, and exposed.
I’d bumped into my upper limit of success. So, I pulled way in.
I let myself hide, knowing I needed to shift if our business was going to be successful. Then my friend Sherrie said to me, “You know, you don’t want to be getting a tattoo of your book 30 years from now because you weren’t willing to celebrate, do you?”
It was like a slap in the face. “Hell, no!” I replied. “I want to celebrate now!”
So, I’m back celebrating me with you!
What about you?
Do you let yourself celebrate your accomplishments? Even if:
you didn’t do as well as you wanted?
someone might get jealous?
others think they’re minor?
you may outshine someone else?
Most women I coach start out as celebration anorexics. They look in the mirror and think they’re too much. So, they starve themselves from their own awesomeness. They may even sabotage their success because it’s too much for them.
Is this you?
Stop it!
Start celebrating how phenomenal you truly are.
Now.
My challenge to you is to get excited, celebrate, and brag about you!
It could be small, like you took the time to squeeze in a pedicure during your busy day, or it could be big, like you asked for and got that raise!
You are awesome.
Take time to let that sink in.
And remember to celebrate you!
Hugs,
CrisMarie
P.S. Struggling with embracing your yumminess? Want to let in more goodness, joy, and success? Join us for Get Unstuck starting January 24th, and finally let yourself shine!
CrisMarie Campbell and Susan Clarke are Master certified life coaches, business consultants, speakers and authors of The Beauty of Conflict. They believe real relationships are the key to creating great business results. They’ll take your team from mediocre to great.
Interested in coaching? Check out CrisMarie’s executive coaching and personal coaching, or Susan’s personal coaching and equus coaching.
Want to take a class? Sign up for one of their virtual classes: Get Unstuck, Relationship Mojo or come to their signature retreat Find Your Mojo in Montana. Click here to check out all their service offerings.
Click here to contact them to coach with you, consult with your team, or speak at your next event.
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