Many people ask about this little man, my fighter. He’s not so little really…but in my heart he’s still my baby. ANYHOO…as an update to this (Post by Life’s A Disco Ball), I just wanted to share how hard he worked at his swim meet this weekend. He swam 10 events in two days. And YOU GUYS…he beat his best time in every single one. Every one!
Now I know, I’m being kind of obnoxious with this mommy brag, but it’s been a battle, you know? It took us a long time to find something that fit him and his personality. We tried some of the ‘usual’ sports. None retained his interest. Have you every heard the stories? The ones where he stood on the pitcher’s mound in t-ball, arms outstretched and screamed, ‘I’m the king of the wooooooooorld!’ Or the time he stopped moving in the middle of the field DURING a soccer game and screamed, ‘I haaaaaate socceeeeeeerrrrrrrrr!’ But I digress…
Then we found swimming. And WOW. He’s 13 months into this sport and he’s just amazed me with his motivation to keep pushing himself. It hasn’t been without bumps in the road. We’ve had weeks where he refused to go to practice because he was so anxious about the other kids being better than him (but he went anyway). We’ve had weeks where a coach didn’t understand his inability to be still and thus yelled at him – often (but he went anyway). We’ve had meets where he was so anxious that he sobbed all the way to the pool and I was worried he wouldn’t even get in (but he went anyway).
Every time…he faced his fear. Not without trepidation. Not without uncertainty. Not without doubt. BUT WITH HEART. Every time he dug deep and grabbed a hold of some courage and faced that fear. I’ve learned so much from him.
He’s given me courage to try something new. To push myself beyond what I thought I’m capable of. Despite being worried I’ll fail. He’s shown me that the only way you fail, is by not trying. And so in the face of it all, fear, worry, doubt…you show up. And you try. And that in itself is succeeding.
So what is that thing fear is keeping you from doing? Are you afraid? Worried you can’t do it or worried if you do, you won’t do it perfectly?
Do it anyway.
I know it’s hard.
Acknowledge your fear. Honor the doubt. Then dig deep in your heart for the courage I know is there.
And you will find the winning story. Your story.
Because you too are a Fighter.
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