My journey with 75 Strong

We are on day 12/75 and I have been meaning to write to you since day 1, but here we are. 

Let's go back to the beginning when I failed 75 Hard last year. Well I didn’t really fail, I was just doing way too much for the season that I was in. My third baby was only 6 months old, I had just started a year long coaching program to build my business, and I was so confused at what I wanted to do as my 9-5 job wanted me to come back after maternity leave was over. A million other things were also happening as you can imagine with life. That brings me to the end of last year, having a somewhat mental breakdown, feeling exhausted, lost and confused, dealing with trauma and all the things. I wanted to regain control of my life, and feel excited again, and commit to my health and wellness. We all know that saying the better we take care of ourselves the better we take care of others, and we all know it's true. 

Let me tell you, these first 12 days have been a learning experience around the commitment to myself and mostly reframing my stories. 

These are my commitments to 75 Strong. 

• Daily progress picture
• 16 cups of water per day
• 45 minutes outside workout
• 30 minutes of yoga and/or pilates
• 30 minutes of triathlon training 
• 10 pages of a daily book
• No alcohol
• Put the house to bed. 

The first few days is where the motivation was high, and tasks were easy to complete. But then life starts happening. The house was getting sick, I was struggling to get sleep as 3 kids were rotating their awake times during the night, and my partner was away during this time so emotions were high everywhere. (We are on week ⅚ of school in vancouver, so I’m holding the fort down.) Around day 6 is where I felt it getting hard. I felt my nervous system pulling my back into my comfort zone of feeling overwhelmed and the negative thoughts creeping in. This is where the hard part of change either pulls us back to our old habits and routines or guides us forward into our new way of being. Instead of feeling bad if I missed a task, because I needed to listen to my body, I reframed the stories I was telling myself. I swapped out:

• I didn’t wake up early enough to get the tasks done -  My body needed rest, and there is plenty of time in the day. 
• I am too tired -  I will feel energized when I get fresh air. 
•  I am not strong enough to run and push a stroller - Every step I take, my body gets stronger. 

75 Strong is not just about completing the daily tasks that you set out for yourself, it's guiding your habits and routines into the life you want to live. The tasks weren’t mandated to anyone, we each got to choose what resonated with us. My goals are different from yours. Heres a little deeper look into my why behind the tasks. 

In 2027 I will complete a 70.3 ironman. So I’m starting my training now. Starting small and slowly building up to that 4 year goal. In January we implemented a structure - 3 runs per week, 2 bikes, 2 times in the pool. Now we start to build. 

Yoga & Pilates is my life, my career.  I see this as a commitment to my own health and wellbeing, as it helps me to feel in control of my body and my thoughts. And then I can better support anyone who participates in my classes. 

Personal development and reading is always part of my life and daily tasks so we continue with this. 

Alcohol no longer aligns with me. I love a good beer, but I’ve struggled with alcohol in relation to trauma, and it has taken me 20 years to get to this place of knowing. So now it’s about re learning.

Putting the house to bed. I love this term when a participant uses it in relation to the kitchen. For me, the clutter of the kids' toys overwhelms me to no end. So just a simple tidy at the end of the day leaves the space to thrive in the morning. 

If you aren’t sure what 75 Strong is, learn more HERE. Registration is still open until February 14, 2024. This is a commitment to YOU so what are you waiting for?