As I sit down to write this blog, I’ve just come from watching the Olympics. These athletes blow my mind. How they could have the discipline to master their sport so skillfully is incredibly impressive.
I’ve done some Olympic people watching this year and I wonder if you’ve noticed the same thing I have.
Some athletes are relaxed and look pretty chill as they approach their event. Others are wound tight, breathing deeply or quietly whispering their winning mantras. Some are taking themselves and their events very seriously. Others see it as a moment in time that won’t make or break their happiness.
If I’m being honest, I’m usually the one breathing into a paper bag trying not to pass out when I’m doing something difficult or public. It’s embarrassing to admit, but EVERY WEEK before my softball game my heart pounds in fear that I’ll disappoint my team.
Friend, I am taking myself (and my extremely mediocre softball skills) WAY too seriously.
As humans we fear:
… screwing up.
… doing it wrong.
… saying something stupid.
… having to ask for help.
… blowing it in the moment that counts.
Let’s use some of these Olympians as examples of how to take ourselves less seriously.
First, take a look at my favorite Olympian so far, Yusuf Dikec. He’s a Turkish shooter who’s relaxed posture and lack of equipment has gone viral. When compared with his competitor, he almost looks bored. No special equipment, no ear protection, no crazy stance. He gives the impression of rolling out of bed, grabbing his pistol, and getting on with it (he silver medaled, by the way). I’m not saying he wasn’t well-prepared, but this dude was NOT overthinking things.
Second, can you imagine the pressure the American gymnasts have been under? Despite “only” coming in 2nd and 3rd, Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles bowed to Brazil’s Rebecca Andrade who took gold. All three have huge smiles on their faces and are sharing a moment where they know exactly what matters most. Love and admiration for each other.
I know the stakes are high in your life. I know you have people counting on you. I know you’ve got big goals that haven’t come to fruition yet. And someday we are that athlete who is breathing too hard, angry, tense, and frustrated at our lack of progress.
What might change if we could smile like those gymnasts? What if we rolled out of bed to shoot our shot, knowing we don’t need to be anything other than who we are? What if we could find a way to laugh at our failures, our impatience, our screw ups?
This month’s challenge is to find a way to take yourself and your life less seriously. And while that’s not a license to be lazy or unkind. It is permission to be in the moment. To love yourself. To smile at your competitors. To laugh when you want to cry.
If it helps, remember the wisdom of Betty White:
“It’s your outlook on life that counts. If you take yourself lightly and not too seriously, pretty soon you can find the humor in our everyday lives. And sometimes it can be a life saver.”
If you’ve forgotten, you’re one of a kind. I see you for who you are in your soul, and I believe in your ability to do great things.
Thanks for joining me here, and if you ever need a boost, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Sally
