All I can say is WOW! I did it! I set a goal of stepping on stage my absolute best, leaving my fears at the door and going all out. And for that I was rewarded!
It’s all been actually very surreal. For a few days I felt like I was walking around in a daze, but now it’s finally settled in, and I’m able to really look back and be proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish.
You know, every prep, every experience in life teaches us lessons. And it’s up to you to figure out what those lessons are so that you may grow from it, and present yourself as an even further evolved human being. In reveiwing my mental and emotional state leading up to this show, I can say that the lesson I learned from this experience was one of great humility. I realized that so much of my focus has been on the end result that I barely got a chance to fully enjoy the process leading up to the result. At the finals, each figure competitor literally gets 6-10 secs to present a work of art that may have taken 12, 16, 24, or 52 weeks of blood, sweat, and tears to create. A fleeting moment in time. Gone in an instant. So if the journey to that point is one that is solely focused on that singular moment, how do you truly get to revel in the glory of a victory? You don’t.
I have now completed my THIRD show ever. I have yet to place out of a top 3 spot. Two of those shows being the same size and caliber as any National Level show, one of which I took my class. A class filled to the brim with amazingly beautiful women. And each of us with the desire to come out on top. I had to really stop for a moment and take ALL of that in. Because it’s no small feat. I’ve been competing for about 8 months at this point, and according to any track record, I’ve done quite well for myself.
So now the question of “What’s next?” Besides the quintessential response of “I’m going to Disney World” screw that Six Flags is so much better but hey I love Mikey Mouse, my new focus is to first and foremost take an ENTIRE week off of diet and training to reset my body and my mind. Then it will be to switch focus with my eyes on the East Coast and the national stage, my national level debut, at Team Universe in July. However, the difference is that every rep, every set, every breath, and every drop of sweat will inspire me and guide me with the SINGLE goal of just representing myself well on the National Level. If I turn pro at the end of all of this, then it’s simply the icing on the cake.