There is one proper way of doing a push up. And there are a 100 ways of doing it incorrectly. I have explored the latter.

So one day I am doing the pushups in my crossfit work out and my coach comes near me. I can see from the corner of my sweaty covered eyes the shoes. He reminds me to keep my arms in and go lower.

” Chest to the floor, I can fit an entire body part between you and the floor”

So I refocused and took a breath and did exactly what I was told.

I did it. I did it again. And again.

Consistency is key.

I was surprised at how my body did what I told it to do.

My mind was freer in that moment of all those excuses of ” shoulder maynot be stable today” or ” wrist hurts” or ” I am tired” etc.

When I finished the workout, exhausted, wiped, I stammered to get my breath back. Behind the shower of salty tears I looked up at the coach as I lay swimming in my sweat and asked ” how come I could do it this time?”

He smiled his soft smile and looked at me and replied ” You always could , but had been choosing not to”.

BOOM !

There it was in black and white, no sugar coating. EGO broken by the truth.

My mind raced to innumerable moments and memories where I had said “I couldn’t ” and I realized the excuses and stories that were holding me back from CHOOSING just that ” I could or I can ” and then DOING IT.

Thank you coach Brian Cook for that gentle nugget that caused an avalanche of my egoic mind. The mountain feels much more climbable and smaller.
………………..
I love you