What I Learned from CrossFit {Guest Post}

Hi Journey of a Dreamer readers! Katelyn from Chef Katelyn here. I’m not a chef, so let’s get that out of the way, but I do cook up some other things. Let’s get to know each other.

That’s me. Doing what I do best: Wearing CrossFit clothes. And this is me at my very first CrossFit competition.

Yup, surprise! We’re going to talk about CrossFit. Not because it’s awesome, but because it changed my life. In many more ways than I never could have imagined.

I’ve been a blogger for over two and a half years now (that’s a nice chunk of time, I do say), and only for the last six months have I been doing this CrossFit thing. So I’m technically still a newbie but I like to spread the love. People will tell you about CrossFit and it usually either makes you crap your pants or makes you really excited. I’m hoping it’s the latter. However, I’m hoping that you’ve heard enough wonderful things about CrossFit through Courtney that I can go on my merry way and tell you about all of the funny and important things I’ve learned through this crazy “sport” we play.

Let’s break it down.

1. The importance of biting off more than you can chew, just to see what happens. This approach to life is fun and exciting and sometimes terribly frightening. That’s fine. Try a weight that scares you, and keep going after goals. Then after you do this, take a step back and honor your limits.

2. The importance of knowing: Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. In order to maintain the intensity we do every day, whether it be work, family, or exercise-related, honor your limits and know when enough is enough. As in sports, so in life, there is a time to take a step back and honor your boundaries. Hold your tongue as you should, and hold that extra gusto that tells you to lift your 1-RM in a workout. Self-preservation is the rule, but #1 is the exception.

3. Taking chances is important. Register for that competition. Make a new friend. Ask for that raise, and above all, listen to your heart.

4. Ball jokes are funny.

They are.

5. Reward yourself. Know when something is exciting enough to take hold of. Make goals, and when you reach them, reward yourself. For example, I like to create a Pavlov’s Dog-type reward system for myself. If I consistently give my all into my workouts, stretch, and recover as I should, I have my dang cheat meal at the end of the week, thank you very much. When it comes to business and blogging, I make a to-do list for myself every day, and if I cross off everything on my list, then I get to indulge in a little something at the end of the day. Usually, this involves Fifty Shades of Grey or Downton Abbey. It really works, I just don’t use dog treats.

Personally, I reward myself with shoes and chocolate.

6. Supporting others is just as important, if not more important, as believing in yourself. In CrossFit, we have this policy that you cheer on everyone, always. They are not your enemy. Yes, you may be mentally competing with them, but they are your teammate. As you support the successes and aid others as they struggle, you will become more appreciative of yourself and your own accomplishments, as others begin to recognize you as an asset and a true team player. This is the reality in teams, relationships, and even more prominently, at work. This habit will forge a healthy relationship with others and with yourself.

Stand by me? These are two of the best coaches I’ve ever had. CrossFit 315 representin’.

And last, but not least,

7. Dig deep and light a fire of passion in everything that you do. Everything. Every second counts. Every rep counts. You slack on one, you lose that moment and you sacrifice a good rep. Don’t lose the moment. Don’t spend time on something where you’re not giving your all. Many sports induce what we call an exercise-induced “high”. A surge of endorphins. A rush of complete and utter submission into whatever it is you’re doing and channeling everything you have into just that. Nothing else. In exercise, we call this channeling your energy. Focus. Runner’s high. Endorphins. In creativity and productivity settings, we call this flow. Find flow. Find your space and let yourself into it.

And that, my friends, is a snippet of what CrossFit has taught me. And these very things, I know you could learn from relationships, good times, hard times, yoga, ultra-marathon running, being a high-power executive and from waitressing. But what’s most important, is that you use it to your advantage.

Share a lesson you’ve learned from an experience or hobby!

xo,
Katelyn