Because you do hard work!

When I was 37, I had a roommate that went to CrossFit. I didn’t think it was something for me, but she looked so strong and healthy…I thought, I want that. So I started to go with her. It was hard. It sucked at times. And it taught me two things: 1. I am competitive 2. I can do hard things.

I think the reason I backed out of the competition is because I gave up before I started. When you are the youngest of a large brood, you often hear, “You don’t know anything, You can’t do that. You’re too little.” In CrossFit, the competition isn’t against each other, but against yourself. You work hard to get a better PR or Personal Record. So you are competing against yourself and that taught me to stop looking around at others..

Some of the workouts are actually made to NOT be completed…or more like, made to suck. My coach ​Daniel Carney​ would say, "Just keep going, one thing at a time. It’s supposed to suck. It's the workout that sucks, not you.”

So what does this have to do with you?

When you're working on a project, in a team, or dealing with tough problems like climate change, homelessness, or substance use, remember that the work is difficult and the situation is tough. It's not about you. Sometimes we think there's something wrong with us or something we're not doing right when things get messy and complicated. But that's not true. The situation or project is just really hard, complicated, confusing, and challenging.

I want you to understand and discover your power, your story. To understand what holds you back and launches you forward. Because you do hard work! You are changing the world. You are working everyday on an impossible task and it can be wearing.

Your story will transform your work. Your work will transform the world!

Because Everything starts with you.