It’s all about that bass!

“It’s all about that bass!” 

Not just a famous Meghan Trainor song, it was my rear end in spandex, bouncing in front of the sweep car at the local 10k race.  

I had been running for probably 5 years at that point, and had been last (or nearly last) a few times.  But this was the first time I had been last and had the sweep car (which trails the last runner) follow me for the entire second half of the race - three very long, slow miles. I was so self-conscious about what my tush looked like to the two people in the sweep vehicle that it was all I could think about. 

Bounce. Bounce. Bounce. 

For 2 miles I worried about what the sweeps were thinking; memories of childhood taunts from the playground on my pudginess and surprised comments from adults that I could run even when I “looked like that” running non-stop thru my head.  

Bounce. Bounce. Bounce. 

And then it dawned on me: who cares what they think?  Does their opinion change what I’m doing? If they are sitting in the car and making snide comments about my appearance, am I going to quit the race or quit running? They are riding around in a car and I’m out here running! This is for my health - and if they want to stare or make fun of me - let them!

I finished that race and eventually moved to marathon swimming (because running around in spandex wasn’t enough, I had to one-up myself and walk around in a bathing suit!) I still occasionally fall into the “what will people think” mindset, but a focus on my goals soon puts my worries away and I can enjoy the moment. I can revel in the amazing things my body can do, the beauty of nature around me, and enjoy the people I am with that support me. 

Where in your life are you allowing what others might think to stop you?  What could you do if you focused on reaching your goals, and not their opinion?

Drop me a line and let me know!

Pillar: self-acceptance

Value: Confidence

Micro-habit: Focusing on your goals, not their opinion