27/09/2023 – Blog Update – Why I won’t be competing again
(Incase you missed my Instagram post)
I’ve decided that I won’t be competing again. I’ve struggled with this decision for a very long time, but now feels like the right time for me to close this chapter 📕
The day I turned pro two years ago was up there with one of the greatest achievements of my life. It was one of those extraordinary moments in life that you simply cannot explain 🥺
Before that prep, I was very lost. I wasn’t in a great place mentally and my confidence was extremely low. I know now upon years of reflection, I used competing to hide a lot of these issues. In the hope to regain control, a sense of self worth and purpose again. I hoped being successful in this sport would bring me the happiness I was so desperately looking for
The pressure I put on myself after turning pro was unbelievable and the self doubt I had increased massively. Unfortunately, I then ran into some physical health issues and my life took a really difficult turn, meaning I couldn’t train or function how I usually would. But, because I made competing and being successful in this sport my whole identity, coming away from that season, I found myself even more lost than I was before
Over the past two years, I have done a lot of work within myself and my worth is now not tied to anything. I still love to train and will do for the rest of my life (as long as I am capable)
But I’m in such a better place now, the life I have is fulfilled in so many areas, it is a life I am truly happy and content with. Competing just doesn’t seem to have a place in it for me anymore.
I’m still struggling with health issues which would make it very difficult for me to go through the necessary processes of getting on stage again even if I wanted to
My mental and physical well-being is my priority, I feel to continue in this sport I could jeopardise losing that again and to me, I’m not willing to take that risk
I do not regret anything, as hard as it has been, this has been an incredible journey, one I will never forget. I achieved above and beyond what I ever set out to do in this sport and I can walk away feeling so unbelievably proud of that. If your goal is to compete and even turn pro, that’s great. Honestly, go for it with all of your heart because this sport can really bring so much when do for the right reasons. Don’t lose sight of who you are and become so consumed you forget. Compete because you are already whole, not to fill a void in your life the hope it’ll fix everything, because trust me it won’t. Turning pro will not magically catapult your life into a world of happiness and success. Don’t bury your struggles, focus on what you need to work on before you ever consider competing.
02/08/23 – Blog Update
Phase: Maintenance Phase
Haven’t updated this blog in a while so wanted to give an update of where I’m at now!
Nothing extremely exciting to come from me, I am not in any particular phase in regards to physique goals at the minute or have any plans to compete. My health wouldn’t allow it currently, so my main focus is training to remain strong and because I love it! Training is going really well despite fatigue being super high still and it keeps me feeling happy!
Nutrition – intuitively eating approach which I have adopted since the start of the year, prioritising eating less processed foods which noticeably has impacted how I feel physically, plus this approach has massively helped improve my relationship with food.
Health – MRI brain 6 weeks ago was normal, I am now being referred to an endocrinologist as I still have issues hormonally: fatigue, irregular periods, hair loss alongside managed hashimotos disease. I just feel it’s time for a review of everything to see what can be done to improve all of these moving forward.
Once this improves, a more physique related goal can and will be set!
Please let me know if anyone has any q’s regarding any of the above!
Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.
8 comments
27/09/2023 – Blog Update – Why I won’t be competing again
(Incase you missed my Instagram post)
I’ve decided that I won’t be competing again. I’ve struggled with this decision for a very long time, but now feels like the right time for me to close this chapter 📕
The day I turned pro two years ago was up there with one of the greatest achievements of my life. It was one of those extraordinary moments in life that you simply cannot explain 🥺
Before that prep, I was very lost. I wasn’t in a great place mentally and my confidence was extremely low. I know now upon years of reflection, I used competing to hide a lot of these issues. In the hope to regain control, a sense of self worth and purpose again. I hoped being successful in this sport would bring me the happiness I was so desperately looking for
The pressure I put on myself after turning pro was unbelievable and the self doubt I had increased massively. Unfortunately, I then ran into some physical health issues and my life took a really difficult turn, meaning I couldn’t train or function how I usually would. But, because I made competing and being successful in this sport my whole identity, coming away from that season, I found myself even more lost than I was before
Over the past two years, I have done a lot of work within myself and my worth is now not tied to anything. I still love to train and will do for the rest of my life (as long as I am capable)
But I’m in such a better place now, the life I have is fulfilled in so many areas, it is a life I am truly happy and content with. Competing just doesn’t seem to have a place in it for me anymore.
I’m still struggling with health issues which would make it very difficult for me to go through the necessary processes of getting on stage again even if I wanted to
My mental and physical well-being is my priority, I feel to continue in this sport I could jeopardise losing that again and to me, I’m not willing to take that risk
I do not regret anything, as hard as it has been, this has been an incredible journey, one I will never forget. I achieved above and beyond what I ever set out to do in this sport and I can walk away feeling so unbelievably proud of that. If your goal is to compete and even turn pro, that’s great. Honestly, go for it with all of your heart because this sport can really bring so much when do for the right reasons. Don’t lose sight of who you are and become so consumed you forget. Compete because you are already whole, not to fill a void in your life the hope it’ll fix everything, because trust me it won’t. Turning pro will not magically catapult your life into a world of happiness and success. Don’t bury your struggles, focus on what you need to work on before you ever consider competing.
02/08/23 – Blog Update
Phase: Maintenance Phase
Haven’t updated this blog in a while so wanted to give an update of where I’m at now!
Nothing extremely exciting to come from me, I am not in any particular phase in regards to physique goals at the minute or have any plans to compete. My health wouldn’t allow it currently, so my main focus is training to remain strong and because I love it! Training is going really well despite fatigue being super high still and it keeps me feeling happy!
Nutrition – intuitively eating approach which I have adopted since the start of the year, prioritising eating less processed foods which noticeably has impacted how I feel physically, plus this approach has massively helped improve my relationship with food.
Health – MRI brain 6 weeks ago was normal, I am now being referred to an endocrinologist as I still have issues hormonally: fatigue, irregular periods, hair loss alongside managed hashimotos disease. I just feel it’s time for a review of everything to see what can be done to improve all of these moving forward.
Once this improves, a more physique related goal can and will be set!
Please let me know if anyone has any q’s regarding any of the above!