August is always a bittersweet month for me. Feelings of uncertainty, sadness and anxiousness all come rushing down. Where will my husband and I be next season? When will we leave? Will I have enough time to see my friends? What should I bring this year? So many questions and so many unknowns. This summer especially, I felt like I was traveling nonstop. There were people I wanted to see this summer that I couldn’t. There were things that I wanted to do this summer that I didn’t. But most importantly, I let myself and my goals go. I stopped writing all summer because the excitement of being home and being in a familiar environment took over. I promised myself that would never happen again.
Now as I sit in France, I reflect on the fact that this will be my home for the next 10 months. I will have to learn a new city, a new language and most importantly, a new culture. The bittersweet part comes when I think of all the experiences I will embark on. So many friends have told me they are coming to visit (not 100% sure they all will ACTUALLY come) and there are so many cities in France that offer so much.
I also reflect on the goals I want to accomplish while here. My writing goals, traveling goals, cooking goals, marriage goals, all of it. My husband will have to get to know a new team, a new coach, and new politics. But the one thing that doesn’t change is that I get to be here with him, helping him as he helps me. I get another opportunity to step out of my comfort zone, push myself past my limits and hold myself more accountable.
So many people envy the fact that I get to live in another country and experience another culture. I sometimes don’t realize how blessed I am because I know firsthand how difficult it can be and how lonely I get sometimes. But, those people are right. Who can say they lived in and around Europe for months at a time? Why not take advantage of everything Europe has to offer?
I plan to do just that. Last season, we were in Latvia. I was not able to do as much because we were so far away from the capital city and in a small beachtown. It was cold, windy and I even sank into a mild depression at one point. I promised myself I would never let myself get that low again. That no matter what, I would face reality and make the best of it. I wouldn’t sit around wishing I was at home because I was living in a new country, meeting new people, and learning so much about myself in the process. This season, we’re in France. France is the land of free flowing wine and bread and I intend to make sure I’m in the gym everyday in order to support my brioche and croissant eating lifestyle.
Every day is a new day to be better. Every day we are given on this earth is an opportunity to be great and do great things. Every day is a day we will never see again. Time is fleeting and the only thing constant is change. This blog post is dedicated to new beginnings, new experiences, new goals and most importantly, a new mindset. When your biggest obstacle is yourself, and you know that, what will you do to prevent yourself from blocking the greatness that you carry inside yourself? That’s a question I have to answer just as you do.