Tag Archives: truth

Gym etiquette

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I’m a huge advocate of gym etiquette. I do my best to share and not take up space. I observe people around me and watch to see if someone is using a machine before I take it. If someone is using a machine I want to use I’ll ask if they mind me working in with them.

Yesterday in the gym I went into the back part of the gym where it’s more secluded. There was a man working out BAREFOOT. While I found this incredibly disgusting I tried to just brush it off. I piddled around for a minute to see what he was doing so I could see what items I could use that he wasn’t.

He was taking up a majority of the area with the items he was using but I figured I could still use the cable machine in between his little circuit because it was out of the way.

In the middle of me doing my first set he comes up to me, literally stands uncomfortably close, close enough that I could feel him breathe and says “I need to do pull-ups here.” So I turned to him and said “I’m using the cable, I’ll be done in a second.” He then said “or you could move over there” and points to where I apparently should move for him.” I’m not a witty person and I never have a come back but the words just fell out of my mouth this time and I said “you can have good gym etiquette and share.” Mind you, there are 4 other areas with pull-up bars that he could have used but for some reason he wanted the one I was under. He snapped back and says “or you can just move.” So I smiled, turned back to what I was doing and finished my set. I grabbed my phone, and went to find a gym manager. I reported him for being barefoot in the gym, which is against health code. The gym manager confirmed with me he made the guy put shoes on. Which I appreciate.

I find it shocking that people have no ability to share and can be that blatantly rude. Is it because I’m a female and I was “in your way?” Or were you just never taught to share with others? I guess I’ll never understand. Hopefully the next time I run into him in the gym he says something to me again when my husband is there. Because ladies and gentlemen, barefoot guy won’t stand a chance when my husband gets ahold of him!

Coaching…..

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I was reading an article the other day about a coach who got reprimanded for the way they treated an athlete. It’s crazy to me thinking about how far we have come. When I was younger, coaches could pretty much say and do whatever they wanted and little to no one called them out or reported them. So much went unsaid that should have been brought to others attention for the safety of the athlete/s. 🙌🏻

I had one coach who expected perfection every time we walked into the gym. If you weren’t perfectly tight while performing a skill you could expect to get slapped. And it was a hard slap. Normally it left a red mark where you got hit and sometimes a bruise. She typically hit in the arm or leg but on the occasion you could expect her to pop you under the chin.

When doing a beam routine if she didn’t like what she was seeing she would actually walk up to you mid skill and shove you off the beam. You could be upside down, in the middle of a turn, etc, it didn’t matter. She would shove you right off. We had to be alert at all times in case she did this. If we weren’t paying attention and she pushed us, we ran the risk of falling on to another beam that was close to the one we were on, rolling ankle when hitting the floor or landing some other way that could cause injury. 🤸‍♂️

Another coach would hit us upside the head if he felt we weren’t focused. As if hitting someone in the head is going to make them focus! Sometimes if he hit you just right you would see stars for a few seconds.

If he didn’t think our flexibility was where it needed to be, he would make us get into the splits, prop our front leg on a raised mat and sit on us forcing our legs to the ground while one was inclined. It was painful and dangerous. You run the risk of tearing a muscle or ligament doing this to an athlete. When working flexibility you should always ease an athlete into things.

I’ve had people ask me why I didn’t tell my parents this was going on. What was there to tell?? At the time I thought this was normal. I thought this was how coaches made their athletes better. I thought this is how everyone was coached. I didn’t know any different at the time!

Having been a coach for over 15 years now myself, I realize this is NOT a healthy or safe way to coach an athlete. It’s actually considered abusive. It’s not an extreme form but it definitely falls into that category.

While I think a lot of people are too overly sensitive about coaching styles, I do think there are some old school coaching “techniques” that need to be done away with. For example, you don’t need to “lay a hand” on an athlete to push them to be better. Nor should you have to verbally attack an athlete to “light a fire” under them. If you want to push an athlete, encourage them and work with them. An athlete should never fear their coach and you shouldn’t try to make an athlete fear you to respect you. If you want respect from your athlete, earn it. Same as you’d expect of them!👍🏻

Baby Update

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Baby update: The boys and I are slowly adjusting to life together. It’s definitely been an uphill battle. Routines have changed and the vibe in the house is very different. Even the dog is thrown off. 😂 But it’s a good different. Literally each day has a new challenge to work around and learn from. 👍🏻

Trying to get Cam and Ryder up and taken care of each morning definitely isn’t without its battles. They are both in a demanding stage and need so much of my attention. Also, a clean house isn’t the easiest task now. So I do my best just to make sure things don’t pile up. Showering is done if I’m lucky. I have to beg someone to watch the boys just to be able to rinse off. God only knows when I’ll be able to find the time to wash my hair again. Dreadlocks may be in my future! 😂

By no means am I complaining. I love the new changes in our life. And despite Ryder’s annoyed faces he gives Cam, I think he will settle in soon and realize Cam isn’t a threat. If my over possessive dog can be ok with Cam I know Ryder will be too (eventually). 🐶

When people ask what I need, my only request is positivity. I just need everyone to be positive and happy around me. If others around me are happy and positive, it helps keep my energy levels and positivity up. I focus more on the good and less on the things upsetting me or stressing me out. And trust me, with 2 little ones under two, the feeling of stress and being overwhelmed comes quick!

The Accident

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Saturday afternoon was probably one of the scariest moments of my life. While driving southbound on 75, a truck slammed into the side of us. It knocked us so hard we actually drove up into it. Our truck then dropped to the ground and the front of his car drug across the side of our truck. The force of him smashing into us caused us to spin. We spun around twice, smashing into two other cars before coming to a stop.

They say in scary moments your life flashes before you. Not me. I was aware of everything happening around me. I remember feeling the truck lift up a little on one side while we were spinning and thinking ok this is it, we’re going to roll. I remember telling myself to brace and hoping Ryder was ok.

Once I finally collected myself and looked around, I saw six vehicles all banged up. Our truck had settled facing oncoming traffic. Not the safest feeling when on a highway. But my husband, Ryder and myself weren’t hurt and it didn’t appear as if any of the other drivers were badly hurt. Lucky for us, Ryder wasn’t really phased. He was strapped into his car seat tight so he barely moved.

While sharing insurance and talking to police, we were finally given the story of how it all started. One car in the far right lane tried to get over quickly to the middle lane and thought they could cut off a truck in time to get over. However she was closer to the truck than thought and bashed into him. This flung him over to our lane casing him to hit us. While spinning, the front end of our truck hit a car and the back end of our truck smashed into the backside of another before coming to a stop. The car who’s backside we hit was destroyed. Her trunk area no longer existed. It was smashed into her backseat. While all this was happening, people slammed on their brakes to keep from hitting us and the other vehicles, therefore causing multiple fender benders. In total there were 11+ vehicles that ended up getting banged up.

Multiple people came up to my husband and said “I thought y’all were going to roll.” The woman who’s back end we hit even said “I saw y’all coming and thought, this is it, they’re going to roll right over my car.” So I wasn’t imagining the lifting feeling and that thought of rolling. We almost did.

I’m so thankful we were in my husbands F250. That thing is a tank. It’s banged up pretty well but not as bad as the truck that hit us and the cars we hit. I couldn’t imagine how different the accident would have been in a small car or even a small SUV. I’ve always been a Ford lover but after this accident my love for them is solidified. I will forever demand (yes I said demand) that my husband drive an F250. That tank kept us safe. With him driving that kind of truck I know he and our children will be safe. I’d sell my car and drive one too if it wasn’t too big for me.

What’s crazy is two of the other drivers had children under 5 in their vehicles, in addition to us having Ryder and me being pregnant. Because of that woman’s selfishness and need to get over and cut someone off, she put multiple children and however many adults lives in danger.

Why are we always in such a hurry to get places? Or to get around, or in front of people? When we rush, we make hasty decisions that aren’t always the best or safest. People think better when they are calm. I wish people would stop trying to rush through life. It’s ok to be 5 minutes late. Especially when it’s your life, and others lives at hand.

The truth about prenatal vitamins

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When I was a teacher, in every single one of my health classes, a student asked “can’t you get pregnant from taking prenatal vitamins?” 🤦🏼‍♀️ It’s a crazy question but I was always SO glad they asked. I was a weenie in high school and too afraid to ask anything. I would much rather have my students ask weird or uncomfortable questions and get a clear answer than not ask and lack the information or get incorrect information from a friend. Although, it also makes me wonder if we as a society are not explaining things well enough for kids.

No prenatal vitamins will not get you pregnant. And if you’re a guy, they will not turn you into a woman. Yes I got that question too.

Prenatal vitamins are a vitamin women take while pregnant. It has more vitamin percentages than your average daily multi vitamin. There are other vitamins in it that benefit the baby and are needed for healthy growth. You can actually take prenatal vitamins when not pregnant or not trying to get pregnant and they will actually help with hair and nail growth. Prenatal are high in biotin which causes hair to grow and be strong.

So again, prenatal vitamins will not make you pregnant! They are just an extra healthy support for you and your baby if already pregnant.

Life Plans

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“You make your plans and you hear god laughing”

I love that line from Thomas Rhett’s “Life Changes” song. There are so many times in our life where we have things planned out, or think we do. Then god “laughs” and says that’s not my plan.

There have been many times (too many to count) in my life where I had things figured out. Or so I thought. I knew things would be a certain way according to my plan. Then God said nope, I have a different plan for you. It’s funny because now I can’t imagine my life any differently than the path he took me.

Food battle

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“Are you going to be a picky eater tonight?” Or “why aren’t you eating that? The amount of times I’ve heard these……🤔

Why are we so critical of what other people eat or don’t eat? I’ve battled with a food allergy for almost 10 years now. I’ve gone to dinner at peoples houses and not been able to eat much of anything because they served something I’m allergic to. I’ve gotten better about letting people know ahead of time. But I used to be so shy about it that I wouldn’t eat. A people assumed I had an eating disorder because I wouldn’t eat. Little did they know, on my way home I was eating the protein bar I had stashed in my car and would wolf down everything in my fridge at home!

There have been other times where I had to pick around food in hopes of eating something without getting sick. I’ve been called a picky eater because of this. I don’t really think a food allergy qualifies someone as a picky eater. It’s not really their choice to have a food allergy. If I could get rid of it I would! It would definitely make life easier when eating out or at peoples houses!

Rather than assume someone has an eating disorder or brand them as a picky eater, why not give them the benefit of the doubt. Maybe they have a food allergy! Or maybe they just don’t like what you’re serving. 😂 I think we as a society need to work on being less critical. We also need to worry more about ourselves and less about what other people are doing (in some cases).

Friendship

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Only the strongest friendships survive life. I say life because it’s not just the ups and downs. It’s everything in between. Finding a good friend is like finding your soul mate. It’s not easy and you go through so much to get there. But when you find that person, it’s like something clicks.

When we were little we were so focused on making lots of friends. I think it’s fantastic for little kids to be nice to everyone and want to be friends with everyone. But as an adult, that’s an unrealistic hope that we can be “friends” with everyone. I hate to say it, but not everyone wants to be your friend. And that’s totally ok! You just need to find those select few people that you click with.

As you age, if you notice your circle of friends getting smaller, don’t be alarmed! As we get older, people change. Our views and beliefs don’t always align and this can cause rifts in relationships. Some people’s ability to accept can make it difficult and put strain on a relationship. Also, people have different life paths. Sometimes friendships dissolve without any actual problems. People just lose touch. It’s normal for life to get in the way.

My best friend and I don’t have the same views on everything. But we respect each other’s view even if it’s not fitting for us personally. We do however have the same values and similar (not the same) goals in life. We are both very supportive of each other in every aspect of life. That is part of what makes our relationship great. Without a strong support system you will find yourself feeling lost and maybe a bit alone.

Find that friend who encourages you and brings positive light to your life. Someone who can laugh with you at the stupid things. Someone who loves you even at your worst. Those are the friendships that will bring you support, strength and happiness. Find someone who makes you a better person.

Redo/undo life

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If you could go back and “redo and undo” parts of your life, what would they be?

Me? I would undo some arguments with my parents. Now having a child, I understand a little more. They weren’t being “mean.” They we’re trying to protect me and teach me a lesson. They wanted me to make the right decisions. However, if I’d done what they said and made the “right” decision, would I be the person I am today? Probably not. But I do regret some of the ways I talked to my parents. Yes I know teenagers and young adults have their moments, and it’s expected. But I hate to be “expected.” I think I’d like to keep the arguments but undo my words and tone if I could.

I think for the most part I was a good rule follower growing up. I did my best to do as my parents said. I never liked the feeling of disappointing them. When I disappointed them, I think I was harder on myself than they were on me. I think that’s the gymnast in me. There’s something about gymnasts and toughness. They internalize a lot, are critical of themselves, and are typically harder on themselves than others.

My “undo” would be to undo some friendships. There were some toxic friendships in my life I probably could have done without. Although, if I hadn’t had those friendships, would I be the person I am today? Probably not. I learned a lot about me, about other people, about life and how you should treat a friend.

So ultimately maybe nothing should be undone. But again, I wish I could redo the tone and wording of some conversations. Lesson learned though in the end.

What would you redo and undo if you could? Could you find things that you could absolutely redo/undo or are you like me and know you probably needed the lesson that came with the choices originally?

Good Side vs Bad Side

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Good side vs bad side. We all have them. No I’m not talking about good vs evil. I’m talking about your left vs your right side of body! We all have a side that “looks best” in our opinion so we typically turn that side to a camera when taking a picture. Some people do it without even realizing it!

My good side is my left. Which is weird because I have a big scar on the left side of my nose that I hate. That aside, I still like my left side better. If you notice, in pictures it’s always me turned to show my left side or my left arm is the one that’s out. That’s because I have nerve damage in my right arm and hand from years of gymnastics and cheerleading. It causes me a lot of pain making it hard to lift on that side. I strain a lot when working out because of the weakness of the arm and the pain from the nerve damage. My right side doesn’t build muscle the way my left does. So my left arm always looks more toned than my right.

I know it sounds ridiculous but it’s my little insecurity. We all have them and this is mine! Does my right arm look bad? No! Does it look oddly different from the left? No! I just prefer how the left looks to the right. So I know when I do pictures it’s always on the left side.

This may seem like a minor and stupid insecurity but it’s mine! Everyone’s insecurities are different. We all have them, we are human. The goal is to make sure you don’t fester on them. Work with or around your insecurities! Don’t let your insecurities, no matter how big or small, direct your life. God gave us two “cheeks” for a reason 😉💪🏻