The Art of Giving Back

I will be the first to admit.  I do NOT enjoy the CrossFit open. 

Five weeks of brutal workouts, that make your body more sore than you even knew possible,  and push you to a point of absolute complete exhaustion both mentally and physically no matter what level you're at… sounds like fun, right? 

It’s five weeks that, going to bed Friday, I know my body won’t feel good again until maybe… Monday night(?!) It eats me upside, rattles my brain, and shakes my nerves. 

I also am well aware that at this point in CrossFit, I am in no shape to even come close to competing at Regionals. 

So, after people hear me say this I often get asked… “Then why are you doing it?”

Good question - it’s because of the art of giving back. 

Over the past 4 and a half years CrossFit has truly changed my life.  It has introduced me to new people, challenged me in ways I didn’t know possible, given me the skills to help others achieve goals, provided me a mental outlet, created an aspect of my life that constantly holds me accountable, and provided me a summer I thought I could only dream of, learning from some of the best people I have ever met.  If you really think about it, that’s a tremendous amount…

Take. Take. Take. 

The CrossFit open is the one time in the year that CrossFit HQ truly asks something of you.  Each day, I walk into the box because I WANT to.  Because I know the benefits and rewards that come with it.  Because I am TAKING the opportunities that CrossFit is providing.  However, the Open is the only time that CrossFit asks you to show up some day between Thursday evening and Monday evening and push yourself to the ultimate limit. 

For all that I take, this is the least I could give. 

So I started to consider this in other aspects of my life and came to this simple realization.  For the things we love and find fulfillment in,  perhaps they will be even more fulfilling if we gave back to them.  Even if it is once a year, or the smallest act,  it is still appreciating our love in a different light. 

Yes, for the next five weeks I will take part in 5 brutal workouts, I will probably lose sleep the night before or shed a tear,  maybe I’ll even set some new PR’s… but this is just my simple way of saying thank you to something I love and that has impacted my life so much.

What will you give back to what you love?