Life is About More Than the Gold

“Make the courageous choice each day to prioritize yourself over the gold.”
-Carrie Coppola, Mudita Be Joy Yoga

If you saw any of the news coverage from the 2020 Olympics that just wrapped up in Tokyo, you undoubtedly noticed headlines about Simone Biles unusual decisions to withdraw from the majority of her Olympic events. More than most, I understand how difficult those decisions must have been. Those decisions meant setting aside years of blood, sweat and tears; letting go of hours upon hours of time spent training that could have been spent on building relationships, pursuing education, or enjoying hobbies; subjecting oneself to an endless stream of judgment by others who have never walked in your shoes; risking the disappointment of those whose opinions you value most. And yet, her decisions sent a powerful message about priorities in the midst of a culture that often has them very, very mixed up.

We may not all be chasing a literal gold medal, but our society idolizes many different metaphorical “golds”. For some, going for the gold might mean achieving a certain title, a particular degree or certification, or the illusion of constant productivity (or, in my case, all of the above). There is nothing wrong with having goals and working hard to achieve them. However, our culture inundates us with messages that our worth is based on these external, tangible achievements rather than our inherent worth as human beings. Because of this, we can easily fall into the trap of becoming human doings.

I am a master human doing. My parents and friends from high school could tell you that I had the world record 100 breaststroke time taped to my car’s review mirror, my bedroom ceiling, and my bathroom mirror for over a year leading up to the 2004 games. This reminder of my goal was frequently necessary- it takes a lot to motivate a teenager to get up at 5 am, get in their car, drive across town in the middle of a midwestern winter to a cold pool for a 2 hr work out BEFORE a full day of school and club activities, to then head back for yet another 2 hour practice, only returning home 14 hours later to shovel down dinner, do homework, collapse into bed and then repeat, hardly ever seeing daylight. In case there was any question, this should give you some pretty good insight into how I generally have pursued the goals I set my sights on. Until recently, the phrase “good enough” did not really exist in my vocabulary.

I wrote in my last post about how, after years of frenetically chasing goals and beating up my body (and mind), I am working to embrace a more sustainable pace of life. One of the ways I support this (and help keep my priorities straight) is through a practice of yoga. My husband could probably tell you that I am a lot less grounded if I don’t make it to my weekly restore class. For years, movement and exercise were about pushing my body to the edge- seeing where it’s limits were and then pushing those limits a bit farther. This has led to more than a few injuries over the years. Through yoga, however, I am learning to develop a new relationship with my body- one of listening to and respecting it rather than attempting to force it do my bidding. Talk about a change of pace for someone who has lived and breathed goals and striving!

In the process of coming to my yoga mat, I am constantly learning. By mindfully attuning to my body through slow, intentional movements, connecting to my breath and creating space for myself just as I am, in this moment, without striving to be anything more, I am practicing the courageous choice to prioritize myself over the gold. I am learning how to let go of the need for further achievement and “doing”- how to simply be.

Ps- If you are interested in a great, trauma-informed yoga studio, I love Mudita here in SLC. Carrie (quoted above) is amazing! She offers online classes, so you don’t even have to live here to experience the joy of her teaching. Go to https://bejoyyoga.com/schedule/ or find Mudita on Wellness Living.