9 Benefits To Gymnastics – Happy Gymnastics Day!

Today is National Gymnastics Day. Now I'm not sure who declared it “National” but it's being promoted by various gymnastics clubs, etc., and on social media to showcase the sport. 

And what a fantastic sport Gymnastics is!

 

My daughter has been participating in gymnastics for several years now and it's become an integral part of my family's life. 

Here are just 9 of the benefits (I'm sure there are more) of gymnastics:

• It elicits passion - My daughter loves and is PASSIONATE about it! That desire is something I hope she takes with her throughout her life because, as the saying goes, “if you're passionate about what you do, you'll never work a day in your life.”
  
  
• It promotes physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle – Participating in gymnastics keeps kids physically fit and promotes active living and healthy diets. In our gym, there are kids of all shapes and sizes and every one of them is physically fit.
  
  
• It encourages flexibility and coordination – Gymnasts do well with both static and dynamic balance and learn to fall, hopefully, without injury. Indeed, my daughter falls like a cat, relaxing as she loses control.
  
  
• It promotes self-esteem – The right gym can help an athlete with confidence and a positive attitude. In our gym, no matter how a girl does at a meet, she gets hugs and praise from her coaches (as well as constructive feedback).
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• It teaches them how to deal with disappointment – It's not all rainbows and lollipops at meets. By that I mean, not everyone gets a medal. You have to EARN one. So a child who does not earn one, learns to deal with disappointment, an essential life skill.
  
  
• Teaches Them How To Follow Rules And Accept Criticism – Gymnastics enhances listening skills because if they don't listen, the kids WILL get hurt. They need to learn routines and accept criticism.
  
  
• Teaches them and increases social skills – Gymnastics is an individual and team sport. Kids learn from each other and bond as a team. They learn to work together even as they're being judged separately. It teaches fair play, not to brag, etc. 
  
  
• Encourages commitment, goal setting, and discipline – Gymnastics teaches kids to set goals, work toward those goals, and they get to see how their efforts pay off. 
  
  
• Shows them the importance of family support – Gymnastics is NOT cheap. I've had to go back to work to help pay for it and I'm on the road, driving her, four nights a week. The family attends day-long meets and sometimes we stay in hotels to make sure she's fresh for competition. Allowing her to take gymnastics is a family commitment. 
  
  
  
  
  
  

A few months ago, my husband asked where gymnastics could “take” Lily. Here's what I think:

• Organization, goal setting, discipline, etc. are skills that are important in business. And honestly, with the social skills she's developing, she'll have no problem with that all-important tool: networking.
  
  
• All of the benefits listed above will make her a well-rounded person and, hopefully, help her throughout her life
  
  
• She could parlay Gymnastics into the fields of Nutrition, Teaching, Sports Medicine, Physical Therapy, Counseling – anything she wants..
  
  
  
  

Gymnastics is not easy. It's a HUGE commitment! 

 If you're considering letting your child try it, here's my advice:

• Check out various local gyms. Some are hardcore, pushing kids and demanding attendance up to six days a week. Lily told me long ago she “doesn't want to go the Olympics.” Fine. Our gym doesn't push as hard as others.  It give her time to be a kid, yet challenges her and helps her grow.
  
  
• Ask for a sample class. Make sure your kid really enjoys it before you sign any contracts. Again, this is NOT a cheap sport! 
  
  
• Find out if the gym has a return or cancellation policy in case your athlete decides this isn't the right activity for her. If your daughter gets invited to join a team, pay by the month of at all possible, just in case she decides she doesn't want to to continue.
  
  
• Hold back on buying a lot of leotards and “cutsie” stuff like gym bags and clothes proclaiming “gymnast.” I don't want Lily labeling herself because I think that puts pressure on her. What if she decides to quit the sport? I don't want her to feel like a failure just because she's not a gymnast anymore.
  
  
• Look for leotards at Walmart. I've found bargains for $10, as opposed to buying them at Sports Authority for $40.
  
  
• Know that if you child competes in meets, there are meet fees and admission at the door. (For info on what to bring to competitions, click here.)

I'm happy my daughter does gymnastics. I see all the benefits and know that this is the right sport for her. Would I be disappointed if she quit? Honestly, maybe a little. But the skills she's learning are making her happy now and are positively shaping the woman she's becoming.  

Happy Gymnastics Day!

5 Benefits That Happened When I Stopped Trying To Please Other People

The most AMAZING thing I've discovered about getting older is the ability to let the chaff go and keep the wheat, or in layperson's terms, letting go of the bullshit in life.  I'm talking about the pressure people and society put on us all to be politically-correct, fit in with whatever group we're facing, and succumb to the pressures of others, especially family.

I've realized that life is too short to spend hiding within others' expectations of me. And I've unearthed at least 5 benefits that happened when I stopped trying to please those around me: 

1. I accept myself for who I am, imperfections and all.
   For years, someone close has told me I'm overweight, which I am. But every time I'd put a morsel of food in my mouth, he'd stare at me, disapproving, subconsciously shaming me into dieting. No more! Yes, I'm eating healthy most of the time, but here's a shocker as well: 
   
   
   
   
   My body is beautiful, curves and all! It works as it should.
   
   
   
   
   It is SEXY, vibrant. And because of this realization, I am more confident about my physical self than I've been in years. That confidence itself, makes me even more appealing. I LIKE what I look like!
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
2. I'm using less energy living up to the expectations of others. 
   The word “no” is a bigger part of my vocabulary without regrets later on. Will I chair a PTA committee I'd hate? No. Will I take the son with two beautifully working legs to a friend's house five blocks away because he doesn't “feel” like walking. No. Will I clean the house to my husband's unrealistic standards? Not a chance. I do what I need to do, what I like to do, and let others live up to their own self-imposed “shoulds.” Their issues are no longer mine.
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. I'm connecting with people more freely and have realized that I'm a genuinely nice person.  
   When there's no hidden agenda, no “I hope they like me” thoughts, it's easier for me to be myself, to be kind because I want to be, not because I “have” to be. I'm free to be considerate for no other reason than that it feels good.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
4. I'm not controlled by family. Too often we do things because we “have to” for people who show no gratitude. Then we kick ourselves because we feel we've been taken advantage of. By putting my foot down and not caring what they think merely because they're part of that extremely powerful moniker known as FAMILY, I've rid myself of many people who were a negative influence on me. I'm attracting friends whom I want to help and who want to help me when I'm down. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. I'm relying on myself for my happiness and spending more time determining how to do that. 
   I exercise because I want to, garden because the results make me happy, and write, not out of a sense of obligation, but because I genuinely like it.  I'm playing with my children because they're fun, laughing more than disciplining them over the little things, and letting them do more for themselves. 

Do I have fewer people around me? Sure, but those people are of a higher caliper than the ones before. Am I still overweight? Maybe and it doesn't matter because I know that I'm beautiful no matter what the number on the scale shows.

Am I selfish? Nope. I'm self-affirming, choosing self-nurturing over indentured servitude. 

And I'm definitely happier, with more items on my nightly Gratitude List than ever before. Not caring has given me the freedom to make choices that please me. And that, my friends, is an incredible feeling.

Give it a try and let me know what YOU think (if it pleases you).