Gymnastics... that one sport that everyone quits. Why? Don't look at me! It just seems that every time I talk about gymnastics, at least three people say, "I was a gymnast, but I quit..." I even know people who made it up to level 5 at a really young age but quit, even though they had pure talent.
There is not one gymnast that I know that hasn't considered quitting before. I know a few level 10 and 9 gymnasts that have come so far, with seemingly no doubt in their mind--- or really? Then, there's the cheerleaders. There are a lot of cheerleaders that are disliked by gymnasts, because many times it seems like they just used gymnastics to make the squad, or perhaps they always loved gymnastics and as soon as they made the cheer team, they abandoned the sport that made them who they are. I was a cheerleader before I was a gymnast and as soon as I discovered tumbling, I nearly left cheer behind.
They say quitters never win, and winners never quit. (Or I've heard one of the crazy guys at church {I think it was Mark, don't remember} say "Quitters never quit and winners never win..." something weird like that.) But we've all come to that boiling point when we just don't wanna go to practice. Don't want to go to conditioning and flexibility class. (Summer of '09 was loaded with gymnastics, conditioning, tumbling, flexibility, and an additional tumbling class) We all go through the motions.
There are many amazing gymnasts that quit after years and years of dedication. They were committed to making the US Olympic team and everything, and threw it away because of fear, injuries, boyfriends, college... the like.
I've seen it happen way too many times. And not just with gymnastics--- excellent singers, amazing actors... but they just let it go. The love doesn't always last. I know that sometimes for me there are days (especially after a horrible recital or meet) when I just feel like giving up on everything.
Giving up on writing and blogging.
Giving up on singing.
Giving up on everything that I know I'm called to be.
Our church youth group did a human video for Fine Arts this year that is really hard to explain, (I went to all the practices even though I wasn't in it, and saw the drama rise up from nothing) and it featured:
A normal person who is struggling, I think, and then Satan (Autumn played the person and Olivia was the devil) is kinda like, I don't know, rubbing it in their face or something. Making the situation worse, making them fall further into the blackest hole.
Well, that's how doubts are. You're trying to reach that goal, but something keeps holding you back, shoving cruel thoughts of yourself into your mind, and many times it goes beyond just gymnastics.
"You're ugly, and you know it."
"You're fat... why don't you just go starve yourself?" (Not recommended.)
"You can't sing... why do you even try? You sound like Rebecca Black with Laryngitis!"
"Your writing is horrible, so you might as well stop writing that story and shut down that blog because you'll never make it into bookstores."
"You call that acting? It'd be a miracle to see you walking on Broadway!"
"You won't go to the Olympics. And you really want the world to see you in a leotard? Honey, it's best you stick with sweatpants."
"You can't do anything right."
Doubts lead to beating up yourself with things that don't even really matter a whole bunch. And many times, it causes that love to slowly fade and then POOF! it's gone, and it dies.
Are you truly committed to something? Not just gymnastics... anything. You can't do anything alone, but with family, friends, teammates, and God, everything is possible. But first, you have to believe that it is possible and then I promise you, it will be.
There is not one gymnast that I know that hasn't considered quitting before. I know a few level 10 and 9 gymnasts that have come so far, with seemingly no doubt in their mind--- or really? Then, there's the cheerleaders. There are a lot of cheerleaders that are disliked by gymnasts, because many times it seems like they just used gymnastics to make the squad, or perhaps they always loved gymnastics and as soon as they made the cheer team, they abandoned the sport that made them who they are. I was a cheerleader before I was a gymnast and as soon as I discovered tumbling, I nearly left cheer behind.
They say quitters never win, and winners never quit. (Or I've heard one of the crazy guys at church {I think it was Mark, don't remember} say "Quitters never quit and winners never win..." something weird like that.) But we've all come to that boiling point when we just don't wanna go to practice. Don't want to go to conditioning and flexibility class. (Summer of '09 was loaded with gymnastics, conditioning, tumbling, flexibility, and an additional tumbling class) We all go through the motions.
There are many amazing gymnasts that quit after years and years of dedication. They were committed to making the US Olympic team and everything, and threw it away because of fear, injuries, boyfriends, college... the like.
I've seen it happen way too many times. And not just with gymnastics--- excellent singers, amazing actors... but they just let it go. The love doesn't always last. I know that sometimes for me there are days (especially after a horrible recital or meet) when I just feel like giving up on everything.
Giving up on writing and blogging.
Giving up on singing.
Giving up on everything that I know I'm called to be.
Our church youth group did a human video for Fine Arts this year that is really hard to explain, (I went to all the practices even though I wasn't in it, and saw the drama rise up from nothing) and it featured:
A normal person who is struggling, I think, and then Satan (Autumn played the person and Olivia was the devil) is kinda like, I don't know, rubbing it in their face or something. Making the situation worse, making them fall further into the blackest hole.
Well, that's how doubts are. You're trying to reach that goal, but something keeps holding you back, shoving cruel thoughts of yourself into your mind, and many times it goes beyond just gymnastics.
"You're ugly, and you know it."
"You're fat... why don't you just go starve yourself?" (Not recommended.)
"You can't sing... why do you even try? You sound like Rebecca Black with Laryngitis!"
"Your writing is horrible, so you might as well stop writing that story and shut down that blog because you'll never make it into bookstores."
"You call that acting? It'd be a miracle to see you walking on Broadway!"
"You won't go to the Olympics. And you really want the world to see you in a leotard? Honey, it's best you stick with sweatpants."
"You can't do anything right."
Doubts lead to beating up yourself with things that don't even really matter a whole bunch. And many times, it causes that love to slowly fade and then POOF! it's gone, and it dies.
Are you truly committed to something? Not just gymnastics... anything. You can't do anything alone, but with family, friends, teammates, and God, everything is possible. But first, you have to believe that it is possible and then I promise you, it will be.
"So Father, give me the strength to be everything I'm called to be. Oh Father, show me the way to lead them... won't You lead me?"-Sanctus Real, 'Lead Me'
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