Day 1,053. 225 lbs. lost. (as of 2-2)

“Real Talk” – this was the name of the event I spoke at yesterday. I liken it to a conversation you’d have with a group of friends over a cup of coffee.

As soon as I got into my car yesterday to do the drive home, I couldn’t help but replay some of the conversations through music the entire way home. I didn’t feel like the guest yesterday. I felt more like a student.  Every amazing experience that I am blessed with always fills me full of profound takeaways, and yesterday was no exception.

Community is one of the biggest blessings of CrossFit and why it has become a part of my soul. The power of people suffering next to one another, with no advantage over one another, provides some of the strongest friendships and human bonds you’ve ever experienced.

CrossFit is more than just fitness; it is a gateway to something deeper within all of us. That something deeper is what I saw. The bonds in this community. It was truly powerful. You know that you are watching something remarkable when people are comfortable enough to share some of their deepest vulnerabilities. It meant they felt safe. There is no other feeling like that in the world. It’s insane to me how much energy we spend trying to avoid tough topics when in reality they are at the heart of what sets us free.

There is a young heart in all of us that searches to know something real in a world where it’s often safer to stick to playing the part you dress up for. Vulnerability gives us freedom, power and connects us to a network of injured souls. It is through the art of being real that we can heal ourselves and others. ―Shannon L. Alder

That’s all they want. That’s all I wanted. To the one that’s not ready to share her story … yet. That’s all she wants too.