Have you ever been a champion?
Won the title, or felt as if you were on top of the world or mountain?
Maybe you are a parent and seeing your kids win at something has you cheering at the top of your lungs as you see them become victorious.
Now… Have you failed?
Be at the bottom and wondered how the heck did I get here. And ask yourself where did I go wrong?
I have to say I personally know both of those feelings. One moment you are on top of the mountain and the next moment you are sliding backwards and can’t stop the fall.
Last week, I was running into the house from my car and slipped on black ice. I was rushing, and not looking where I was going and one moment I was up and the next moment I was down on the ground. Car door wide open, with my husband and kids on speaker phone. My husband was shouting.. Are you okay? What happened? Kids where yelling Mom, mom are you okay.
As I laid on the ground I quickly did an inventory of myself. Crap this hurts.. but what hurts more… my body or my pride? Was anything broken… rate the pain? All quick questions I asked myself and as I laid there on the driveway. I took an extra second to just BE and then I took a deep breath and got up.
Everything was okay, I was okay. Sore… but okay.
I told Chris and the kids I was okay and limped into the house.
As I got into the house I was so mad. Mad, that I had fallen, mad that I was rushing and didn’t see the ice (its black, and my driveways is black.. so clearly I didn’t see it) but nonetheless I was mad.
What was I mad at?
Even though it was out of my control, I was mad that I was now hurt. Not really hurt, but enough to still be reminded of it today. It’s all okay, as I will heal.
Truly, it was inconvenient, it made me more late and I became more frustrated. It was time for me to take a moment and cool down.
Funny though, as I write about this lesson today I actually like being reminded of my falls (after I have healed a bit)… it keeps me humble, reminds me that there is lots of room for growth. It allows me to seek understanding of who I am and where I need to go next.
Sometimes we fall. Sometimes people die. Sometimes we will just lose. And sometimes we need to just sit in the shit of it all and see what rises to the surface. For me, this is where I choose to strengthen my character. It’s in the loss, the falls, the failures, the trails of life, that I can choose to strengthen my character.
This week with the passing of an amazing athlete Kobe Bryant, his daughter and the rest of the passengers I was reminded of my little fall. Kobe was a Champion, the passengers were all Champions.
Kobe did more, experienced more than most would accomplish in a lifetime. He got up early. He did the WORK. He trained harder, he put in more hours. He did what was required to make the condition happen. I know that through his life… he failed a lot, it’s part of the process.
In the end we never know when our last day will be here on earth. It’s so important that we listen to our calling and RISE UP.
To all the passengers aboard the helicopter may you all rest in peace and know that we all see you as Champions.
This week, I realized again. That it’s through our failures that we rise and become Champions. You just don’t show up at the top. You CLIMB.
If you have fallen lately, if you know why great, if you don’t that’s okay too. You are still a Champion. It is not just about being at the TOP to be a champion.
A champion moves through the falls, the ups and downs the levels of uncertainty, fear and doubt but choose to overcome with courage to move forward to learn from the lessons and become BETTER. To move from good to GREAT.
You just have a new mountain to climb. Take what you have learned and MOVE. Get into action!!
Ask yourself to be a better version of who you were yesterday.
Be thankful that you have another day to rise up and be champion that is within you.
DO NOT GIVE UP, for that is the only way you will truly fail is to quit.
Here is a quick Facebook Live I did in 2018. Which inspired my message to you today.
I’ve got your back.
You are the Champion!!
xx
Shannon