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My Crossfit Story

Thursday, July 24, 2014
In honor of the Crossfit Games (it's the most wonderful time of the year!) I thought it would be fun to share how I got into CF, what my journey has been like, and why I love it!

So flash back to 2009- I was but an 18 year old high school graduate working at a gym on an Army base. When one day a handsome soldier and I were set up by some friends and I was all giddy and shy, so out of character for me! Obviously this handsome man was Kevin and before we were married and had our sweet little baby we had gym dates with our friends. Kevin and his friend were all about this Crossfit stuff, my friend knew what it was but I had never even heard of it!

Growing up the only sport I ever did was Taekwon do. While I was very competitive with it and ended up getting my 3rd degree black belt, I put it on the back burner to finish high school and be a teenager. So up until that point with Kevin and our friends I had only been running and doing whatever I saw everyone else doing in the gym. 

The first time the guys showed us a clean I picked up the bar and… did a clean! Haha, then after the fact I vaguely remembered having a few "olympic lifting" sessions with some other TKD kids and their dad. So while it had been about 5/6 years, I still knew what a clean should feel like. 

So fast forward about two years of me doing my own (half ass) CF workouts that Kevin would give me in the gym that now managed.. I stepped into my first Crossfit Box. Kevin was deployed to Afghanistan and I maybe got to talk to him once every two weeks so having him program my work outs got a little hard! So I swallowed my pride and embarrassment and signed up at a real gym. 

I think that made the biggest impact in my Crossfit journey. I was going on my lunch break at the gym and whenever I had the day off. It was hard to make the jump to a real gym with so many good athletes and coaches, but it really boosted my confidence. It pushed me and I loved the sense of community. 
Then when the fall rolled around I stopped my membership because I wouldn't have time between school and working full time. So back to my solo workouts- but this time I had more of a knowledge base to go off of. 

When Kevin came back from deployment he signed up at the local box and it wasn't long before I followed! Next big step for me was competing in a local competition (unknowingly 5/6 weeks pregnant haha). I went back and forth so many times about whether or not I was going to do it because I didn't feel confident and honestly didn't want to embarrass myself. I ended up doing it at the insistence of a few awesome coworkers and I was so glad I did. I did better than I thought and felt so good pushing myself and doing something I had been scared to do in the first place

That last part? That is Crossfit to me. 

My journey in Crossfit has been a pattern of one obstacle conquered and on to the next. My biggest struggle is (and always will be) fighting negative self talk. There are still plenty of times before a workout when I look at the white board at our gym with the earlier classes times or weights and I'll think that if I don't get that time or even beat it, I'm not good enough. After awhile you learn that an attitude like that doesn't get you stronger or faster. You start to be kind to yourself and focus on only being better than you were yesterday. 

In todays society women are taught that you are your appearance. That you should look good so you can feel good. Since starting Crossfit the way I think about my body has changed. My whole life I had always thought that my legs were too big because they didn't look like the airbrushed ones in the magazines or because my stomach didn't concave I must be fat. I was surrounded by girls who only ate once a day so they could be skinny! Now I just want to be stronger, all around. I've stopped caring about how I look, because it has no correlation to how I feel. You know what makes me feel good? Adding 20 pounds to my squat. 

In the few years that it's been mainstreaming Crossfit has already started to change the way we view women. We see strong women of all shapes and sizes lifting twice their body weight, just crushing stereotypes. I love raising Vivian around all of the bad ass women in this sport! She'll see that how you look doesn't even come close to defining who you are and that strength isn't just an ability to pick up heavy things. Real strength comes from within, from putting away your fears and doing that thing you never thought you could. 

I did my first Open this year and will for sure be signing up every year and I have two competitions coming up this summer. I still get nervous when I think about it but the nerves no longer deter me, they feed me! It's excitement now, not fear. 

So here I am one marriage and baby later… and I've never felt more confident and sure of myself. I will always have that voice inside my head that will tell me that I can't or that I'm not good enough but I will always beat it. Because you know what? When I'm in the middle of a WOD I'm not just Vivian's mom, I'm not just Kevin's wife, and I'm not just how I look or what I lift.. I'm Bria and that'll always be good enough.

Thanks to Katie for doing this healthy habits link up! I like seeing what other bloggers are out there doing to stay healthy. It's the first one that I've thrown my hat into ;) and probably not the last!

AK Vacation- Part 2

Monday, July 21, 2014
This post alternatively titled "another photo dump"
 We traveling into the woods to visit sweet Linda and Carson the dog. Linda used to be mine and Kevin's landlord when we lived in the dry cabin. Visiting her brought me back to the first year of our marriage and the peace that you find living in the forest.
  (They also fed us tea, and rhubarb crumble.. and it was delicious! Thanks Linda!!)

 We also saw Ava and her Mother Diane (twice!). I love these two beauties for so many reasons and I admire their bond and hope that one day me and Vivian will share one just like it :)






 On the 4th of July we went to Alaska Land and Viv rode the carousal for the first time. Did baby wearing yoga and hung out with the park stud ;) We took pictures in the church where me and Kevin became man and wife and before heading home to eat deep fried halibut, I had a margarita.. not exactly the most American of beverages, but it was perfect!

I also (finally!) got the hang out with Stephanie! True story: we've been friends for a few years but just now actually hung out! Crazy right? I should also add the she's Mrs. West Fairbanks United States 2015, so you should all be super jealous.  

 And of course we had some more Bre and Duke time, because these two?!
Melt me.



Oh hey more AK Land pics, A train "Oscar Selfie" and Ice Cream! 




 Way too many pictures of my adorable daughter…


and….
MY FRIEND GOT MARRIED!!! 
It was so much fun celebrating Jessie and Niki's love.

Then it was time to pack up and head back home to our guy..


So there you have it! Our Alaskan Adventure in two blog posts and too little words :)
It was a great trip and we made so many memories. I can't wait until next summer to see all of our friends and family again and make even more!

Letting People Grow.

Sunday, July 13, 2014

I wanted to write a short blog about something I have been struggling with. To maybe give myself a chance to really "ponder" the idea and put my thoughts all in one place. So maybe this will help someone else, too :)

I know I'm probably the only person on the planet who feels this way.. but sometimes people really piss me off. Since I'm a super emotional and deeply feeling person sometimes all people have to do get me going is be something other than how I want or need them to be. Because the world revolves around me, right?! 

Oh self.. you're crazy. 

So this post is mostly about letting people be.. who they are! While loving them for exactly that reason.
I think often people don't get along because one wants the other to be a certain way (and that's just not gonna happen!) so they spend the entirety of the relationship trying to get that person to be something they're not. Not productive or healthy for either party. 

I'm so guilty of this and have been trying to be better about loving people as they come, and making peace with exactly who they are. We cause ourselves unnecessary pain attempting to control something we can't. So why not try to embrace the things we may not really like about someone as the exact thing that makes them unique and appreciate that uniqueness as something rare and beautiful.

I don't believe people ever change.

Some people might not like to hear that or might disagree.. but I think that we are who we are. I also believe that we experience things though out our lives that impact us- take away or add from us, but our souls are always constant. People do bad things or hurt people because of something that left a wound to their core self. 
That's why I believe in redemption and forgiveness. I like to think that while people don't ever really change, they can learn and do better. 


So when I struggle to accept the way someone is I remind myself that they're on a journey that is entirely their own. My part in that journey is to either add to it, or take away from it. I can not put them on a path, only be there to support them when they take a wrong turn or congratulate them when they get to where they wanted to be. 

Because of all this, you should never apologize for who you are. Apologize if you did something you are genuinely sorry for and move on. You can only grow though living, and that means making mistakes. 

So be unapologetically flawed. 
Mess up, learn, then grow from it. 
Be generously forgiving.
Understand, love, then love some more.



AK Vacation- Part 1

Thursday, July 10, 2014
So two weeks later, we're back in Boise! I know I said I would try to update the blog while up there.. whoops!! So I'm just gonna do a photo dump (or two..) here and some light commentary :)

We had such a fun time visiting with family and friends, and I really felt like me and Vivian bonded even more. She did so well on the flights and I think the awesome people we got sat next to totally made all the difference. Traveling with a baby solo is tough, so any extra help along the way is much appreciated. Now, without further ado- Our Alaskan Adventure!

Saying bye to Daddy

First we stopped in Seattle for a few days to visit with my Grandpa and Grandma, Aunts, Uncles, and cousin! Not long enough, but it was still so nice to see them and some of them met Vivian for the first time. 



Vivian loved my grandparents, especially my grandpa who shared his ice cream ;)



It won't be too long before we're back, Seattle!

The flight up to Alaska wasn't bad at all (baby wise!) I had tried my best to keep Viv awake for she'd sleep on the plane but I failed, haha. She was awake the entire time but in a great mood. Tip for the mamas out there- get a dollar store slinky! It kept her entertained for a solid 30 mins or more :) 
No pictures from on the plane, because ain't nobody got time for that.


I'm in AK for a half hour, tops.. and I get the biggest mosquito bite right in the middle of my forehead! Haha, welcome to Alaska ;) 
Obviously in a better mood the next day after a coffee run.

Vivian walked around Old Navy like the owned the place haha

Pano at the cabin!
 Oh, we're not related at all ;)

The original 3!

First time doing an overhead pistol.

A lot of firsts on this trip- Baby's first 4-wheeler ride..

That she fell asleep on.

After all of the fun at the cabin we got to see our friends Bre and her perfect son Duke
and there was dance party.


So I'm gonna stop there, because I don't want to overwhelm you with any more awesomeness. I'll post some more a little later :)
Glad to be back home, but these pictures make me miss Alaska already!

 
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