Goals: Making dreams come true

"Champions aren't made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them -- a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have the skill, and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill."  - Muhammad Ali

I have found coming up with a good blog post takes some time and planning. On that note lets get into talking about my goals. Coming up with goals is not exactly one of the easiest things to do or is it? It is easy to come up with some sort of goal but is that goal realistic? If so have you actually came up with a plan as to how you are going to reach this goal? If not it might be quite difficult for it to come true. It could just be a dream that will remain a dream forever. To have a dream come true I think it takes setting the right goals to make that dream a reality.

What do I want to be when I grow up? Lets talk a little about trying to figure out what you want to be and what you want to do with your life. Me for instance.....I have gone back and forth with crossfit and olympic weightlifting. First I wanted to go to the crossfit games. I was introduced to olympic weightlifting through crossfit. I started training with my wonderful trainer Ramin Robinson to improve my olympic lifts and become more efficient. I fell in love with it. It is very challenging for me but I enjoy striving to make myself better. Olympic lifting challenges me both physically and mentally which in turn helps me with my life outside the gym. Now I have gotten off track a little but my point is if you really want to succeed at something you have to make up your mind that that is what you want to do.

So lets start with dreams that may be a little far fetched:
1.  Go to the Olympics:  When I was younger yes I did dream of going to the Olympics. At that time I dreamed about going for Tae Kwon Do. I had chosen to go to college instead. I am not saying this would necessarily be a bad goal but if that is what I am focused on at this point in my life I will spend most of my time being very disappointed since I am not even close to lifting at that level yet. Not bad to dream about it but not realistic to set it as a goal.
2.  Go to an international level compeition:  This goal would at least be a little more realistic then going to the olympics but still very far off. I think only a few get picked to compete internationally each year and those are the top athletes. My total is not even close to them.
3.  Total 200kg or more:  So if I did this then the other dreams above would probably come true. Again ok to probably think about these things but it would probably be more productive to think about smaller goals that will get me closer to the big ones. If I spend my time getting disappointed that won't help me at all.

Let get realistic........Goals:
1.  Keep bodyweight at 153lbs or below:  The main reason for this goal is because this is the weight I am happy with. When I start gettting above this I start to be a little unhappy with my body.
2.  Gain muscle:  Now I do understand that gaining muscle may equal gaining weight but if my body weight increases due to muscle I will cancel out my first goal as long as I don't look like I am on steriods.
3.  Improve technique:  Making sure I get my head through (not looking to the sky so my bar has no where to go but down), Keeping my elbows and chest up (those kind of go together....if elbows fall chest falls and in turn the bar falls to the ground which is not where I want it), Keeping my back flat (very important especially if I want to keep lifting for many years and not have a bad back), Push knees out (I know a lot of people have trouble with their knees going in so that they are almost touching but not going to help me complete my lift), Starting lift slow and controlled and finishing fast and smooth (a lot of the time I seem to think the faster I pull that bar off the ground the better my chance of getting it overhead. What I am finding out is this is not true. As coach Mike Burgener told me "Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast".
4.  Improve the mind:  Be able to visualize the perfect technique and apply it to my lift, Get better at clearing my mind and develping no mindness, Believe in myself and gain confidence, Have fun....not letting the stress make what I enjoy not be fun anymore, After having a failed lift be able to regain composure and get the next one.

So I have been working very hard on this post but while reading through it again it was kind of putting me to sleep. Weather that is because I have been working all day or because the post is too long not sure but hey I tryed and I am sure someone will find it interesting. If not I have my goals down in writing.

Exploring Washington Day #2.........Paradise continued

So yes my mom is ok. This hike, as small as it was tested all of our courage, strength and focus. We had to face our fears. My poor mom has had to deal with me and my husband picking on her for freaking out on the hike. We all had our moments of being scared and I am so proud of my mom for conquering something she was too afraid to do before. We made it through this hike as a team, as a family. It was incredible.

My poor husband had a hole in his shoe and no socks on. Each step in the snow equaled some very cold toes. Once we made it to the top the view didn't exist due to the clouds.When you got to panarama point they had the fanciest bathroom you had ever seen.

Yes I did put up a picture of a toliet. As we started making our way down it started to clear up.

We thought all of our fearful moments were over until we had to cross this ledge....

Now those are people that went after us. Yes they were prepared with poles and seemed to have no fear. We creeped along step by step they kinda did a sprint. One little slip and you would of been sliding down the mountain.

Finally we were home free. Enjoy the magnificent views ahead. Eager to make it to some food and water. Hot chocolate was on my mind. Going downhill has it's own challenges. Each step equals pain in the knees. My body was starting to feel a little older then it is. Of course I am coming up to the 30 mark as far as age goes and yes I know some of you would slap me for saying that.

We did meet some friends along the way. From what I have been told these are called Marmots. Marmots are large ground squirrels as stated in wikipedia. That was really the only animal we saw except for a deer on the drive to paradise.

The beauty out there was like no other. I am originally from Florida which of course has its own beauty but you know when you live somewhere your whole life you are just dying to experience the world. I definitely have. Now I have found my home. Of course I love seeing other places out there traveling and everything but I love it in Washington. There is the ocean and the mountains.

When I look at the pictures I almost have nothing to say. The beauty speaks for itself. Hiking the entire skyline trail brought us to an elevation of 7,100 ft. It was a total of 5.4 miles long that seemed like 20 during the hike.

Finally the paradise visitors center was in site. We were on our way to 3 of the worst and most expensive cups of hot chocolate that tasted like the best thing in the world. After that we went to a little cafe called Cooper Creek Inn restaurant. Famous for its wild blackberry pie. Yes I ate all of it. We almost ate them out of food after hiking with no food at all. We built up an appetite and it was amazing. A little cheat once in a while keeps you sane as long as you know how to get right back on track. I almost forgot the nice sunburn I get to recover from now. Don't underestimate the power of sun and snow together. Oh and the fact that if I didn't have my dark cloths on you wouldn't be able to even see my white self in the snow.

Exploring Washington Day #2.........Paradise

Where do I begin with this extraordinary and adventurous trip I experienced yesterday? Mt. Rainer is the second largest mountain in the united states. We got to experience a place they call paradise and that is sure a great name for it. Seems to fit perfectly. The beauty of it is like places I picture in my dreams.

So originally we were just looking for a few little hikes. We talked to some rangers to get some information. They said there was "a little" snow on the trails. I can laugh about now. Me, my husband and my mother start off hiking on the skyline trail. We thought we would just hike a portion of it but thought about the idea of doing the whole thing. I mean it was only 5 miles......how hard could that be? We made it to myrtle falls which was absolutely gorgeous.

After that we kept hiking and eventually ran into a little bit of snow. My mom and husband got very nervous as we started heading up and they said they wern't going to go. We turned around but very soon a couple of girls walking by my mom and they told her she should really consider because they have hiked it in tennis shoes before. Yes we all had the old tennis shoes on, a little water and no food. About as unprepared as you get. But now we all felt like we could do it. Working our way up the small patch of snow with only a few slips we made it to dry ground again. Enjoying our hike even further until small patches of snow turned into large ones.

I did get to see some beautiful wildflowers along the way. Now that was the reason I wanted to go to the mountain in the first place. My dream of wildflowers. They were not quite as nice yet but still nice enough for me.

During the trip every time we thought about turning back someone would tell us it gets better ahead and so we thought well lets just keep going. Before we knew it.....

Here comes the panic. I look over at my mom and she is frozen in the snow. Not moving anywhere and hyperventilating. I scream "Mom! Are you ok?" She said "No! I can't move!"........

Exploring Washington Day #1

So here it is I figured everybody else has a picture of themselves doing a handstand somewhere so I decided to join the club.  Not bad if I say so myself. Today was supposed to be a trip to the san juan islands but I didn't seem to know what I was looking for when I was researching ferry rides last night. I found a ferry going from seattle but it only had one ride in the morning to the island and one ride back. So today ended up being a drive to Mt. St. Helens and the ocean day. It was a very clear day and perfect for viewing the mountain. Very interesting history about the volcanic eruption. I found out today that anacortes, WA is actually where people leaver to go to the islands. When I was looking at the ferry schedule I had no idea where or what anacortes was. Lesson to be learned. Tomorrow will still be a day for Mt. Rainer. Definitely need to find my field of wild flowers I have been dreaming of.

Not feeling upset about what happened at the competition anymore. Things happen as they are meant to happen. I have also thought about whether I really just want to barely qualify and go to a big competition without even being ready or weather I want to go there ready to make an impression. I think I would rather have people say "hey, where did this girl come from? she is awesome".  When I go I want to go with confidence. That is one thing I remember when I used to compete in tae kwon do. I was very confident and had a great time. I had a great experience being able to go to the Jr. Olympics and compete at the Disney world wide of sports. Now how I got to the point where I put so much pressure on myself I don't know but as you get older the pressure and responsibility increases tremendously. Nursing school was very very hard for me. When it comes to academics I feel like I have to work harder then a lot of people. It takes a lot of repetition to get things to stick. Not sure why that is. When I was a kid I had a lot of seizures. I partially think that affected my memory a bit. But when I set my mind to doing something I make sure I do it. Things didn't get easier once I graduated. Then I realized I had people's lives in my hand everyday. If I did once thing wrong someone could die. If that doesn't put pressure on someone I don't know what will.

I can only imagine that I am all over the place with this post. After such a long day riding in the car I am pretty exhausted. Wanted to write a little something before I drift off into a dream state and enjoy another great day with my family tomorrow. My husband came up with a quote for me today. He said "the only way to make sure you never fall on your face is to make sure you are always sitting on your butt". I guess that is very true. If you never get up and try anything nothing should ever go wrong.

Post Competition

So after all my talk today I had my first experience of what they call a bomb out in olympic weightlifting. This is where you miss all three of your attempts on either the snatch or the clean and jerk which in the end leaves you with no total for the competition.

Today felt quite traumatic for me, only because I made it that way. Just kinda took a mental dumb. Let my thoughts get away from me. I know this started before the competition began even though I felt really good at the beginning. The day before I was having trouble controlling my mind and trying not to think of numbers or other competitors. Mostly I had got myself excited about the fact that I am not far away from qualifying for the american open and nationals. I got so very nervous while waiting for my turn to start lifting. Things just got out of control mentally. Full of negative thoughts about missing the lifts. Then after I started missing I couldn't seem to turn it all around. I felt like I failed. I felt like since I had no total anyway what was the point of even going out there attempting a clean and jerk When it came time for the clean and jerk I felt so drained mentally and physically. The weight felt nothing like what it normally feels. I went out there missed my first clean and jerk, somehow found something inside of me to fight my way to victory with my second clean and jerk and kind of gave up on the third. I felt like the second attempt took everything out of me to get it.

So how do we look at these situations? I looked at it like I failed. What is failure? Well the dictionary states it is the act or instance of proving unsuccessful. Failure can mean difference things. As we fail we learn. We learn what didn't work. You learn how to improve upon yourself and your life. Not one of us is perfect. We will all experience failure if that is what you want to call it many times in our lives. As Winston Churchill says "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts". I have come very far in my life. I have to remember the accomplishments I have made. Three years ago I couldn't even do a pushup and was experiencing a mental breakdown. I couldn't do anything without crying. I couldn't even go to work without losing it. Now I am competing in olympic weightlifting. I feel like I am one of the luckiest and happiest people alive. I am very proud of myself. Tuesday I will go back to the gym and start again. My life is not over because I missed my lifts today even though that is how I acted. When I learn to not put so much weight on the lifts I will be even that much stronger. Each day is a new day.

Tonight I have the worst headache, my body aches, and I feel as drained as can be. Tomorrow starts some road trips with my mom and husband to see some of the sites around washington and enjoy a few days off of work. Time to recover and get things back on track. Right now I am watching the movie called soul surfer about a surfer who lost her arm in a shark attack and survived after she was supposed to be dead and learned how to surf again with one arm. It is inspirational.

Competition Day.....

Today is the day. It is a day to have fun. It is a day to put all my hard work into play and do what I know I can do. It's really just another lifting day. I can't let myself think of numbers, other athletes, or results. What leads you too success is thinking of a perfect lift. One lift at a time. One snatch, one clean and one jerk. Whatever happens I will be happy with my accomplishments.

Weight this morning 149.4lbs after breakfast. Makes me feel good not having to worry about that and now I know I can eat how I normally eat and get a little hydration in. Definitely do better with proper food and hydration.

Now I have drawn a blank on anything else to say. I guess that means it's time end until later. Let the fun begin!

1 day until competition....

"The one thing over which you have absolute control is your own thoughts. It is this that puts you in a position to control your own destiny" 

- Paul G. Thomas

So today I am feeling fantastic. Actually been feeling fantastic almost everyday which I am sure my perfect eating for 3 weeks plays a part in. I am sure my eating plays a part in my mental strength I am experiencing right now. Don't under estimate how proper eating can change your life!

Weight:150lbs
Food Today:
5:30am
Breakfast:  4 eggs fried (sprayed pan with pam), 1 piece wheat toast, mixed fruit, 1 cup coffee w/cream & sugar
9:00am
Snack: greek yogurt (higher protein) w/ blueberries, small cup oatmeal w/sprinkle brown sugar and cream
finished 1 liter water
11:45am
Lunch: 1/2 pork chop, whole wheat pasta w/ marinara (maybe 1/2 cup), mixed fiesta veggies (had some beans in it), 1/4 avacado, 1 tbsp smart butter. 12oz coconut water, 1/2 liter water
2:45pm
Snack: 2 whole wheat crackers w/ little almond butter, couple strawberries and grapes, 12 oz coconut water, finished 1 liter water. 1 cup decaf coffee w/ cream & sugar (had around 2pm)
4:00pm
Pre competition workout (12oz coconut water after workout)
7:30pm
Dinner: Large salad from marlene's salad bar w/ turkey, 1 egg and all the veggies, ginger honey dressing, 17.5oz coconut water.

Now believe it or not I remembered all this. I don't need a food journal anymore. I know exactly what I put in my mouth and when. I could make improvements in what I ate such as more veggies. Salad for dinner makes up for it a bit but I am always trying to tweak my diet to continue to make it better. My plan is to stick with this even after competition because why would I want to change anything and feel bad. If I feel great now I might as well keep it that way.

Tomorrow after work I pick up my mom from the airport. Very excited. I will be off until next Thursday. I have been working really hard so this will be a very nice break and I am very close to my mom. Since I moved all the way across the country from Florida to Washington we don't get to see each other much but we do talk on the phone everyday. Family is so important. Friends always come and go but my family is always there for me no matter what. That includes my husband who has been putting up with me for many years....yes I am not the easiest to live with but we all have our moments good and bad.

On my way home today I knew exactly what I wanted to say but guess what, once I sat down it seems my brain shut off....weird! Ha ha.... not really but anyway I will just start over. I am not worried at all about my competition. I am truly excited, primed, and ready. Sure I still have improvements to make on my lifts but I have been doing really great lately and making a lot of progress. I know all I have to do is go out there and give it everything I got! Be the best I can be! Just let the flow take over.....now I can't make flow happen I just have to let it happen naturally but when it does you feel like you are on top of the world. As stated by an olympic athlete in the book I love so much is "For my best performances, I empty my mind and I feel as though it isn't me performing, but at the same time I feel totally connected with the feelings in my body. Its as if my subconscious is doing the performance. I imagine the perfect movement in my head and the rest follows automatically." This came from the book In Pursuit of Excellence by Terry Orlick, PhD It is about how to win in sport and life through mental training. Second Edition.  I have bought lots of books but this one is by far the best I have come across and will help you with all aspects of your life. Just remember to be all you can be and follow your dreams! It's your life so make sure you live it to the fullest!

"Where the mind goes, everything follows." 

- Unknown