One of the very first occupations I ever remember wanting to be when I was very young was… an Olympic ice skater. I can remember watching the Olympics and being mesmerized by the figure skaters. Even before I knew how tall I would be or if I could be athletic enough, I pictured myself alone on the ice.
This was a very unrealistic dream for a girl who learned to ice skate on a gravel road that froze over.
My idol (besides Mary Lou Retton- who wasn’t excited about her gymnastic abilities?) was not an American. It was the East German….Katarina Witt. I looked at her body and saw some of myself in her. She wasn’t built like most of the other figure skaters. She had very strong legs, muscular quads and dare I say, a little bit of a behind (which I have no doubt is all muscle). She was a powerhouse.
Image source: Creative Commons; Credit:Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-1985-1221-003 / CC-BY-SA
While I don’t think she is a great role model in her personal life, I do think she showed this young girl that finesse, athleticism and femininity comes in all shapes and sizes. Pretty profound really.
What does any of this have to do with my blog? Well, in preparation of the Olympics (still a few weeks away), I’m going to do a week of fitness apparel. We’re all focused on being healthier this time of year and I’d love to encourage you with some exciting workout clothes.
More importantly, I hope to encourage you to watch the Olympics with your kids. It will show them what hard work can accomplish, feel the adrenaline rush of competing and more importantly give them role models of all shapes, sizes and colors. Who knows what the Olympians of this year may inspire in them!