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emergencelifecoach

Leaving It All On The Mat

My daughter recently joined her high school wrestling team, and it's been amazing watching these girls take the mat. What they do has a lot of parallels to what I do with my clients, helping them find their inner strength, authenticity, and personal style.


My daughter and her teammates--and my clients--are powerhouses, each with their own unique style in how they approach their opponents--on the mat and in life. Here are some lessons I've learned watching these girls hit the mat that you can apply to your life:


1. Know and Embrace Who You Are:


Each of these athletes has a unique physique and their own strengths and weaknesses. Some are strong; some are agile; some are tall and others are short. One body type isn't better than another. In the wrestling world, knowing your strengths and weakness and how to use them is essential. The same principle holds true in life. No individual is better or worse than another. We all have our own unique strengths and weaknesses, our own life experiences and perspectives, and our own unique personalities. The better you know yourself, the more able you are to make conscious, intentional decisions that will allow you to more successfully naviagate life.


2. Adjust Your Strategy:


Wrestler's bodies don't change every time they hit the mat: their opponents do. The same is true in life. However, a lot of people burn themselves out trying to put on new personas or show up as someone different every time they encounter a new situation. It's exhausting! While wrestling opponents change match to match, the wrestler doesn't change who they are. Rather they adjust their strategy to match their own strengths and weaknesses to those of their opponents. Similarly, in the journey of life, the key is to adapt and adjust with the flow of life, leveraging your personal strengths and weaknesses and adjusting your strategy as you go.


3. Redefining Failure


Any athelte knows that life is a series of wins and losses. However, that doesn't mean a loss is a failure. Success in sports comes with a lot of logged hours in practice and competition. Every match provides wrestlers with important knowledge and experience that helps them grow as athletes. Ultimately, the important thing isn't about the win/loss record as much as it's about showing up, giving your, and what you learn from the experience. Every experience, whether triumphant or challenge, contributes to our overall growth and eventual success.


As I watch these athletes grapple with their opponents, I'm reminded of the valuable lessons we can all learn about knowing who you are, being true to yourself, and approaching life with unwavering authenticity. So maybe today is the day you'll discover your inner athlete. Step up. Show up. Embrace YOUR unique style. And leave it all the mat.


Your "real life" fairy godmother will be here cheering you on. . . .


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