Today is Alpha Delta Pi's 162nd Founders' Day, an international celebration of sisterhood for over 230,000 alumnae & collegians this year. Since 2006, I have been included in this celebration.
To attempt to put into words the experience of membership in Alpha Delta Pi typically seems impossible to me. I joke with people sometimes that sorority membership made me a better dresser, a better conversationalist, a better party planner. And honestly, it did all of those things. Because ultimately, what Alpha Delta Pi gave me (and continues to, every single day) is courage.
The courage to try new things - whether that be with my shirt/pants/necklace combo, my exercise regimen, or joining new professional & interest based organizations.
The courage to build relationships - with a young patient at the Ronald McDonald House, a cashier at my local grocery store, or a 20-something male sitting next to me at a bar.
The courage to dream - about Ryan Gosling congratulating me at the end of my Disney marathon, about one day leading a college classroom of my own, or about a future where girls & women world-wide are provided the education they deserve (shameless plug for Circle of Sisterhood).
The courage to lead - in my area ADPi Alumnae Association, in the higher education world of cutting-edge research and assessment, or in organizing a bachelorette party for a fellow sister.
What Alpha Delta Pi gave me was the courage to believe in myself. To invest in myself.
162 years is a long time. I can't wait to see what legacy we create for those to come.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Thursday, May 2, 2013
On the use of weights.
So a few weeks ago, I conquered one of my fears. And since I had said that this blog would be focused more on becoming more confident in myself, I guess I should share my relatively irrational fear here.
Never, in my entire life, had I used strength training equipment in a gym. Until a few weeks ago. I had used a couple machines during physical therapy when I screwed up my knee skiing and avoiding running over a small child barreling down the mountain, but other than that, I had avoided lifting in front of other people.
I guess there's sort of a two-fold explanation to why:
1. I had absolutely no idea how to use any of these machines
2. If I ever figured out how, I'd probably be the weakest one in the place.
But both of these come down to the same real reason: I didn't want to look stupid/incompetent/weak. Basically, I didn't want to look like a dumb girl who was pretending to lift while looking cute in gym clothes (Which could never happen - I don't look cute in gym clothes. Ever.). So, I had confined myself to doing P90X shoulders/biceps/triceps in my parents' laundry room last summer with my mom, and used little pink 5lb weights the whole time. And then I stopped really doing strength training at all when I moved to Memphis, until I did Insanity.
After that, with the help of my boyfriend (who has turned into a variation of a gym rat), I learned how to use a couple machines. At first, I felt a little pathetic - he would demonstrate, then I would try it out, and we would alternate our rest/reps. Then I'd follow him to the next exercise, and the pattern would start over. He's very patient.
Now, I arrive at the gym feeling confident, even when I go alone. I know what muscles I want to work that day, I put on my Wiz Khalifa Pandora (go ahead, laugh), and I go. I've even built enough confidence to wander up to machines I've never used before, read the little instructions, and try them out.
To be fair, I don't lift a significant amount of weight. And I still get a little freaked out if I get to the gym during the 5-7pm timeframe when it's packed with grunting men. But I no longer care if I look like a fool. I also never want to look like I'm flexing when I'm not, so I will continue to lift fairly insignificant amounts of weight.
The reward has been pretty great, and so I think that's really why it's been worth it - I see more muscle definition, but I also feel better - physically, mentally, emotionally. Since I'm fairly competitive (ok, I'm REALLY competitive), I challenge myself to see just how far I can go, which is pretty fun.
***
As a side note, we now have a third in our Disney Marathon group - Kate! The three of us were pretty much inseparable for much of college, and with us living in three different cities as we train, it's going to be fun to keep holding each other accountable. Ryan Gosling also holds us accountable.
Signing off for now - maybe one day I'll get better about updating.
Never, in my entire life, had I used strength training equipment in a gym. Until a few weeks ago. I had used a couple machines during physical therapy when I screwed up my knee skiing and avoiding running over a small child barreling down the mountain, but other than that, I had avoided lifting in front of other people.
I guess there's sort of a two-fold explanation to why:
1. I had absolutely no idea how to use any of these machines
2. If I ever figured out how, I'd probably be the weakest one in the place.
But both of these come down to the same real reason: I didn't want to look stupid/incompetent/weak. Basically, I didn't want to look like a dumb girl who was pretending to lift while looking cute in gym clothes (Which could never happen - I don't look cute in gym clothes. Ever.). So, I had confined myself to doing P90X shoulders/biceps/triceps in my parents' laundry room last summer with my mom, and used little pink 5lb weights the whole time. And then I stopped really doing strength training at all when I moved to Memphis, until I did Insanity.
After that, with the help of my boyfriend (who has turned into a variation of a gym rat), I learned how to use a couple machines. At first, I felt a little pathetic - he would demonstrate, then I would try it out, and we would alternate our rest/reps. Then I'd follow him to the next exercise, and the pattern would start over. He's very patient.
Now, I arrive at the gym feeling confident, even when I go alone. I know what muscles I want to work that day, I put on my Wiz Khalifa Pandora (go ahead, laugh), and I go. I've even built enough confidence to wander up to machines I've never used before, read the little instructions, and try them out.
To be fair, I don't lift a significant amount of weight. And I still get a little freaked out if I get to the gym during the 5-7pm timeframe when it's packed with grunting men. But I no longer care if I look like a fool. I also never want to look like I'm flexing when I'm not, so I will continue to lift fairly insignificant amounts of weight.
The reward has been pretty great, and so I think that's really why it's been worth it - I see more muscle definition, but I also feel better - physically, mentally, emotionally. Since I'm fairly competitive (ok, I'm REALLY competitive), I challenge myself to see just how far I can go, which is pretty fun.
***
As a side note, we now have a third in our Disney Marathon group - Kate! The three of us were pretty much inseparable for much of college, and with us living in three different cities as we train, it's going to be fun to keep holding each other accountable. Ryan Gosling also holds us accountable.
Signing off for now - maybe one day I'll get better about updating.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)