I open up my news feed to one of the best FB brags I’ve seen in a very long time:
Sharon has given me permission to share it with all of you.
I met Sharon in March but our first opportunity to really sit down and chat was in June at the pool. I’d say within the first 30 minutes, I knew that she was a newly recovering alcoholic. I remember thinking the moment she very matter of factly exposed a part of her life that could leave her judged and ostracized, this woman has some real deal guts. I like her!
To be bluntly and unapologetically authentic in the face of potential negative perceptions is an open act of courage and self love. By honestly talking about any aspect of her past, Sharon, now, OWNS her story instead of depending on other’s opinions and chatter to narrate who she is.
I couldn’t help this morning, after being uplifted by Sharon’s post, think about how many of our own imperfections we (consciously or unconsciously) occlude from others in order to appear like we’ve got our lives figured out.
I remember when Sweat was opening how I worried tremendously about my bio being too revealing. Why would anyone want to train with a former anorexic? Did my struggle with food and overtraining take away my credibility? How would I be perceived by friends, family, and complete strangers after exposing what I’d only very privately admitted to very few? Had my husband not encouraged me to be honest, I’m not completely sure I would have published the bio you see today.
And what a mistake that would have been- To pretend I had “it” all together…What a lie!
I’m on an ever evolving journey to this day and care so much about your individual journey’s because I see myself in YOU and I do hope you see yourself in me as well. The good, the bad, the ugly…it’s real…it’s human. I’ve struggled with the mirror, compulsive food guilt, obsessive calorie counting, manic heart rate monitoring, rigid eating routines, crazy training schedules, and Garmin crazed runs. Dark, dark, dark fitness years that I work hard to never ever see again.
I read, I learn, and I blog because, as Sharon so openly reminded me today, being unapologetically authentic is one of the STRONGEST things any person can be. There is no shame in our quest to change and be the best version of ourselves we can be. You are a bad ass Sharon!!!
