Like lots of people, I watched the Olympics. The athletes, their skill, years-long dedication to their sport, their enormous efforts have been front and center. From all over the world, they’ve gathered to compete as well as represent. 

The athletes have arrived at the Olympics at considerable cost to themselves and their families. I don’t mean just financial cost. 

Sacrifices of time and energy. Time dedicated to their sport that took them away from family. Showing up to practice while spouses, friends or siblings or age-mates were out participating in life in different ways. Ways that may not involved endless, repetitive practices. 

We’ve seen in our living rooms hours of determination, grit, pain, struggle and sometimes failures. All visible in some way on the world stage. Rarely do we live our lives on such a big stage. And yet, our personal stages can sometimes swell to larger-than-life capacity. The effort, decisions, risks, rewards and regrets all hang over our heads, wake us at night and keep us striving during the day. 

There can also be sudden events that bring all our own Olympic level efforts to a screeching halt. 

The death of a loved one, divorce, being fired from the job we loved, moving to another city or state. Accidents and illness. A diagnosis. Any number of things can bring an end to a dream or pursuit. Or at least a significant pause and reset. 

When that happens, we may be presented with unprecedented choices. What now? What next? What do I want? How will I go forward, investing my time and energy in the life I am having now? Maybe the biggest question of all…what do I want? That was the question I seemed to bump up against for a very long time. 

Reimagining a life after something significant like the Olympics or several somethings significant happen can be hard. It takes way more time than we want it to. Just like grief, there’s no instruction manual for making our way through and forward. There’s only getting up and showing up for ourselves every day. 

What are the things you do to get up and show up? 

When things were really hard, getting up and showing up looked like simple things. Showering, dressing, making the bed, walking the dog, eating healthy foods. Going to church. Those were and are accomplishments when things feel nearly impossible. They were the routines or structures that provided a small foundation on which to stand.  

Just doing these few things in the midst of a terrible loss can be hard work! And they can be just enough to get us to the next hour, to the next meal, to the next bedtime. Then, after a while, new ways of living might emerge. That might look like trying new recipes or dusting off forgotten ones. Going to the farmer’s market for fresh produce. Calling a friend to meet for lunch. Attending an outdoor picnic concert. Seeking out someone in a similar situation and sharing quiet thoughts. Whatever your steps are, give yourself credit for doing any or all of it again today. 

Know that in the face of hard seasons, these efforts are truly Olympic sized. 

While you may not be doing them on the world stage, you are being present in the unfolding narrative of your life. 

What ways have you shown up for yourself. 

Seeking support and the possibility of working with a coach is one way to show up. Reach out if you would like to schedule a 30-minute initial conversation at no charge. We can explore how collaborating might move you forward in your healing journey.