Too old to get better? RUBISH!!

Too old to start? Too old to stop? Too old to learn? Too old to teach? Too old to be loved? To old to love? To old to be forgiven? Too old to forgive? Too old to change? Too old to conform?  Too old to _____?  I'm sure you can come up with your own.  We all have them...limiting beliefs reflective of where we are on our life line.  Courtney Dunn, with her beautiful eyes and witty tongue, not unlike another beautiful woman I love, told me I could take as much time as I wanted on the lifting platform because I am old.  AND her eyes twinkle with "Got ya!" as she says it. I love being reminded of my age...I forget it all the time. (laughing to myself at my great jokes)

Do I think I'm old? What do I think?

 "As a man thinks, so is he." Proverbs 23:7
These days I think I'm a Crossfit Games competitor and therefore I AM.

The Bridge City Beat Down is upon us.  It's my first individual competition in years. My first proving ground for I AM.  Remember my post on winning?  Remind me of it when you see me.  My spirit and soul want to be on the podium, my heart tells me top 5 and my head says top 10.  I remember what I said about winning.  I stand by it.  I'm older and wiser now.

Much wiser and grounded. We did one of the BCBC workouts on Tuesday.  I was standing there face to face with my toughest competitor.  No, not you Matt Bathgate...ME.  Allow me to digress one short moment to point out, Matt, that ONCE during the workout I reached the cone before you did. (first round of HSPUs..downhill from there on remaining in 1st place. YOU ARE AWESOME!!)  But what I'm real excited about telling you all is that while being face to face with ME, I was calm.  I can even describe it as peaceful...and that's an accomplishment when this is standing right in from of you:

This is my point...we are never too old to learn new thinking patterns, adopt new brain patterns, add a belief to our heart that overtakes less useful, less effective ones.  I was never a complete mess before a competition WOD but I remember a racing heart, very dry mouth, tight muscles as stress was  constricting my veins and shutting off oxygen flow.  This was different...and it was good. It was anticipation, excitement...and TRUST.  BUT I've been preparing for it.  Just like I'm training for those freakin', easy-to-do Bar MU's,  I'm training my brain to be better too.  

"...make every effort to add to your faith, goodness: to your goodness, knowledge: to your knowledge, self-control: to your self-control perseverance: and to perseverance, godliness: and to godliness, mutual affection: and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive..." - 2 Peter 1: 5-9

WHAT?? Ineffective and unproductive? We don't want that...no sir.  Get rid of those two nasty qualities and Bar MU's will be a breeze. So yes, I've been practising to increase in measure these qualities.  If you note the last one is love...so go ahead, hug me. 

As well I take great calm & courage from Joshua, God's mighty warrior General. The book of Joshua is not much but war and carnage.  AND rarely in Joshua'a favour but he was never shaken in his faith & belief nor was he ever defeated :

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. " - Joshua 1:9

So as old as I am, I've re-wired my brain or started the process...it's a process not a destination.  AND look at Lynn!! She's an inspiration to be young and fit forever!! Lynn turned 70 years young awhile back.  She never worked out before joining our gym. 

So BOY am I excited to get older, Courtney and take MORE time on that lifting platform.  There is still so much I am capable of.

















AND have you seen this? I look forward to joining these athletes next year.  Ask them if they feel old.

Most of all...let's remember we are never too old to laugh.  To laugh especially at ourselves. I love that Crossfit keeps me humble.  It's made me cry too...cry like a baby. But I'm not too old for that either.   Here is a snatch attempt at a PR to end this with a smile. TEAM, we have to remember to keep the video running on moments like these to find Coach Benko and get his reaction on video.  It's short but packs a punch, this attempt.