"Life begins at the end of your comfort zone."
~ Neale Donald Walsch
Those who know me know that I love Motivational Quotes! I love stumbling across one that sums up what I'm thinking, how I'm feeling or just something that I need to read in order to get me back on track in life. When I came across the above quote, it fit perfectly with where I'm at in life at this moment.
For years, I've always been the shy one who felt more comfortable in the shadows watching and learning, but always afraid to let my own star shine. I was perfectly fine living day to day life with the hopes that someday, I'd have the chance and or the courage to finally step up and out. The funny thing about life is that sometimes while you're waiting for the right moment, it finds a way to push you into that moment whether you like it or not, preparedness be damned.
That moment happened to me a few months ago. My inner diva was dying to get out and was tired of being stifled by me and all my insecurities, hesitations, "not right now's" and every other obstacle I managed to put in my own way. I could no longer shake the feeling of wanting to do more and see how far I could really push myself both mentally and physically. So what better way to push the limits of your own self-esteem and self-worth than to enter into a bikini competition....
Just saying bikini competition in my own head had me hyperventilating, let alone repeating it out loud to someone else. But I couldn't let it go. I started doing what any person in this day and age does when they want to know more about anything...I Googled everything I could about bikini competitions, fitness models and anything else that I thought was related. Once I got comfortable with a general knowledge of what was expected, I set out to find a team that could help me achieve my goal and be a support system for me.
I still remember heading to my first meeting with my now coach and thinking that I would be happy if she said I at least had a good base to start with. It was bad enough that on our first meeting, I knew that I would be standing in front of her in my bikini while she looked me over, but I knew that if she said I was starting with a good foundation, I'd leave there happy. After taking my measurements and pictures, she uttered the words that my ego needed to hear and I was hooked!
So here it is two months later with two months left to go and I'm starting to notice all my hard work paying off. I actually look forward to our bi-weekly check-ins to see how much I'm improving, but also to hang with my other team members. It's great to have a moment with someone who has gone through the same emotions you did during the last two weeks or have them cheer you on while you're strutting your stuff in front of everyone in preparation for our walks on stage during the competition. I lucked out in finding a great coach with a great team and that has truly made this experience even more worth it to me.
I wanted to blog about this experience when it first started, but I needed time to absorb everything and get to a place where I could put my emotions into words that could truly illustrate how much this journey has been so far and how much I'm looking forward to what the next two months will bring.
I hope to post more often and update you on my ups, downs, muscle gains, fat losses and everything in between.
Xo,
Ebony
Still conquering the world, one stylish step and pose at a time.
