You May be Right . . . I May Be Crazy



I am a fan of workout clothes that are badass. I dig butterflies and bold red kits and old-school sailor tattoos.  (Obviously - I have a butterfly tattoo and the thyroid gland is the shape of a butterfly.)  Apparently, I'm such a fan that my workout friends know this.  The other day one of them posted this kit on my Facebook wall (totally me, except that my signature color is red): http://www.bettydesigns.com/products/signature-tri-short

Butterflies AND old-school sailor-style skull tats.  Badass.

So I go and check out the page (I have always loved Betty Designs, but I was in the mood to read more about them).  It turns out they're looking for ladies to represent the company in 2014.The page says Betties will be chosen based on their community influence, positive attitude, and active lifestyle.

Hmm.  So I read on.

Do you have to get your endorphin rush daily? Love to toe a starting line to see what you're made of? Cycle, run, swim, tri + more? Are you that girl who gets asked about what you're wearing on a regular basis? Have a bit of a fashion eye? Love skulls + butterflies?

Hmm.  So I read on.

Then convince us you have what it takes. Put together your best pitch, photos, links to your blog, social media exploits and round up your friends to persuade us as well.

So I figured, hell, why not.

Bragging about myself is not something I like to do.  But I figured I might as well go for it.

And I wrote something in that email that I really feel strongly about.  Something I wholeheartedly mean, even if I never got chosen to represent any person, company, or organization besides myself - ever.

I think it's time someone stepped up to represent the underestimated.  Those of us who battle chronic illness but still "show up" for work, life, races, school, and our families.  Those of us who don't look the way people expect a super-fit chick to look.  Those of us who understand that being a badass and being a good person are not mutually exclusive. Those of us who believe a positive attitude is the ultimate key to victory. 

KDub wrote about something like this a few weeks back and her post really echoed in my head.  Granted, my recent body fat test just pegged me in the "healthy" range, but that was the kicker for me: just because the number on the scale makes people think I am not healthy doesn't mean I am not fit.  I need to stop letting people (including the endo and myself) make me think I'm not fit or strong just because I don't look that way. 


Look Ma! I'm a Conquistador!

I think, as women, we underestimate ourselves WAY too often. I can't tell you how many times I hear myself and my friends say, "I'm not that strong/fast/pretty/fit."  We all have body parts we hate and want to fix. I always felt there was no way to be secure and confident in my abilities without being cocky.  I was always afraid that I couldn't be both a nice person and a successful person.  But being a badass and being a good person are NOT mutually exclusive.  And success is really what you make of it.

Maybe I won't get any athletic sponsorships; maybe I won't go on to be some history-making researcher that discovers some amazing fact about human behavior; maybe I'll never make a gabillion dollars a year.  But I'm going to  call myself a success every day that I don't dog myself mentally for looking like someone else.  Every day that things are especially difficult and I still get up the next morning and find something small to be thankful for. 

And, of course, every day that I don't take myself too seriously.  Because, really - what is the point if you're not having fun!?

You may be right . . . I may be crazy.  But it just may be a lunatic you're lookin' for.

Billy Joel