As a very small woman, I've never found a bicycle that really fit me. So, several years ago, my husband and I decided to buy custom-built bikes.
When the beautiful little bike came, it felt amazing, as though I'd never ridden a bicycle before. But it was also difficult adjusting to a completely new way of riding. After a time, I got extremely frustrated.
The manager of the bike shop coached me, pep-talked me, got me through. "Think of yourself as an athlete," he said.
That threw me.
Athlete? Athletic? Those aren't words I use to describe myself. Never have. Yes, I did gymnastics, cheerleading, and dance as a kid, but even at the height of that, I wouldn't have used the word "athletic" to describe myself. In fact, sort of the opposite.
Several years later, here I am; I've just completed my aerobics instructor certification, and am starting my Pilates instructor training. I'm in better shape than I've been in...well, ever?
I still wouldn't call myself athletic. And why not? I don't even know. I suppose in positive terms, I think athletes are people who go to the Olympics. I'm definitely not that. And in negative terms, "athletes" were the mean jocks who made fun of me in school (and chose me last for their stupid dodge ball teams). Ugh.
Not that a particular word really matters. I'm a 48-year-old woman embarking on an exciting new journey, a journey that will hopefully raise my quality of living, as well as those around me.
When my Pilates teacher describes the women in my class, she calls us "movers." Yes, for whatever reason, that's a term I like. It's a term I can comfortably use for myself. Who knows why. Maybe it's a little softer, or more feminine. Maybe it's because the logical conclusion to the sentence, "I'm a mover" is "and a shaker."
When the beautiful little bike came, it felt amazing, as though I'd never ridden a bicycle before. But it was also difficult adjusting to a completely new way of riding. After a time, I got extremely frustrated.
The manager of the bike shop coached me, pep-talked me, got me through. "Think of yourself as an athlete," he said.
That threw me.
Athlete? Athletic? Those aren't words I use to describe myself. Never have. Yes, I did gymnastics, cheerleading, and dance as a kid, but even at the height of that, I wouldn't have used the word "athletic" to describe myself. In fact, sort of the opposite.
Several years later, here I am; I've just completed my aerobics instructor certification, and am starting my Pilates instructor training. I'm in better shape than I've been in...well, ever?
I still wouldn't call myself athletic. And why not? I don't even know. I suppose in positive terms, I think athletes are people who go to the Olympics. I'm definitely not that. And in negative terms, "athletes" were the mean jocks who made fun of me in school (and chose me last for their stupid dodge ball teams). Ugh.
Not that a particular word really matters. I'm a 48-year-old woman embarking on an exciting new journey, a journey that will hopefully raise my quality of living, as well as those around me.
When my Pilates teacher describes the women in my class, she calls us "movers." Yes, for whatever reason, that's a term I like. It's a term I can comfortably use for myself. Who knows why. Maybe it's a little softer, or more feminine. Maybe it's because the logical conclusion to the sentence, "I'm a mover" is "and a shaker."
Comments
Post a Comment