Tuesday, June 25, 2013

When You Fall Short...

This post is sponsored by Under Armour through FitFluential. Now that the FTC compliance obligation is out of the way!  *I totally stole that line from my fellow FitFluential Ambassador Jill :)


Almost a month and a half ago I shared with you in my "What's Beautiful? I'll Show You!" post that I was going to be participating in the Under Armour What's Beautiful challenge.The goal I declared for myself was -->

"I will be a force to be reckoned with. 
I will finish in the top 10 of my first national figure competition.
 I WILL."

Now, I knew the goal was a lofty one. Top 10?!?! At my first national show?!?! C'mon now! The biggest class I had ever competed in was 16 girls. Classes at national shows are 25 plus. I had never won an overall title, let alone my class yet here I stood. Declaring that I would finish in the top 10 of my first ever national competition.

I dieted....I trained...I had dates with the treadmill...lunch dates with the StairMonster....and then I trained some more! As the countdown on my phone went from triple digits to double digits to single digits, I knew that the moment of truth was approaching.

Then the countdown said "TODAY" and there was no turning back. The stage, the competition, the scrutiny by the judges were waiting.



I was competitor #337. When they did the first round of callouts and I didn't hear my number, my heart did drop a bit. The judges excused the first group and began calling out the second round of numbers. #337 was not among them. My heart didn't just drop - I think my lip trembled and I felt like I might cry. If I wasn't in the second group of girls, that meant I wasn't in the top 10. In the end, I was in the third round of callouts...possibly 15th or 16th place.


A few moments after prejuding ended

I didn't make it happen.

I fell short.

I was unable to accomplish my goal.

photo credit

In the end, I didn't meet my specific goal of making the top 10 but I accomplished other goals that I am super stoked about. 

* I finally competed in a national competition
* I nailed my posing
* I wasn't afraid to ask for feedback
* I finally visited Chicago!


So what's next? Well, I am still participating in the challenge with a "revised" goal! I am still determined to be a force to be reckoned with! I have some things on the horizon and I'll share them with you soon. Just know this, I might be down but I'm definitely not out. 

To quote a line from my favorite poem by William Ernest Henley,

"In the fell clutch of circumstance        
  I have not winced nor cried aloud.  
Under the bludgeonings of chance  
  My head is bloody, but unbowed."

I WILL. 

3 comments:

  1. Girl, you rocked it. The one problem I see with goals is that so often we focus on them instead of the journey. You've had a pretty kick ass journey and one to definitely be proud of. =)

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  2. i second heidi' comment...
    and i have to say you looked amazing!!!and even though you didnt get the placing you had hoped for,you are still an incredible person,wife,mother,etc...

    its ok to feel disappointed for not reaching a goal.its ok to feel down for a little bit.however,it doesn't matter how hard life knocks you down, its how you get back up that matters!

    i LOVE your attitude and your last paragraph sums it all up:
    "In the fell clutch of circumstance
    I have not winced nor cried aloud.
    Under the bludgeonings of chance
    My head is bloody, but unbowed."

    you rock,T!
    dust yourself off and its on to the next!
    looking forward to seeing what you have in store!

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  3. That's so strange... I had ranked you 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th AND 5th. I demand a do-over!

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