Keep Competing

Your story isn't over yet.

It's been a rollercoaster of a year for me personally. For each win experienced, I seem to take a gut punch. It's almost like a constant, emotional yo-yo up and down. Do you know that feeling?

It's been a hard ride to hang onto. During those down times, it's far too easy for doubt to creep in and whisper lies. When I experience a small win, I flinch, just waiting for fear to remind me that it won't last. The turbulence creates difficulty in staying focused on the outside goals I have. It's during this time I have to force myself to hunker down and hang on.

Like a tree bracing for the tornado winds, I have to dig deep and take root in my purpose. I hold on in the face of gale-force winds of life. I wait until I have the energy to take another step forward. Take hold again. Push forward a little more. The cycle repeats until the winds die down.

But the one thing I never mentioned? Giving up and letting the wind blow me away. Competitors don't quit. We get knocked down. We take our lumps. And at times, we're discouraged - but we never give up when the storms come. We just brace for impact and keep competing.

We're over halfway through 2017.

If it's been your best year yet, I am so damn excited for you. Now keep competing and use that momentum to finish strong.

If 2017 has been anything but good to you, take heart. It's not over yet and you can get through it - but only if you keep competing.

This year could be the year you finally reach that goal - but you won't know if you give up now. Keep competing, friends.