I’ve been a member of Versus Strength and Conditioning for a little more than six years. SIX YEARS. For reference, that’s longer than any long term relationship or any job I’ve held – and a hefty 55-60% of the time I’ve called myself a Hattiesburg resident.

I refer to them as my safe space, and I recently told Steve (owner and coach extraordinaire) that the 2012 version of me would have never imagined needing them as much as the 2018 version of me did need them.

He, along with Mike, Kellar, Matt, Jamie, Nate and Anna have all championed me through half-marathons, new skills and the never-ending rehab of a jankety shoulder. But more than that, they’ve helped me cultivate a mindset that allows me to push through the hard stuff – like in 2018 when the job got harder (and harder), my best friend moved (what feels like) a bajillion miles away and when Stella the dog died.

2018 wasn’t a complete jerk; but frankly, country songs have had better endings than those last few months did for me. Regardless – no matter how tired, sad or emotionally depleted I felt – I found my way to my friends in an aluminum building and at a train station who helped me push through the day.

I can’t tell you how many times a simple text message from a coach or our workout crew kept me from spiraling to the most comfortable, yet dangerous, space for an introvert: on my couch, alone. They kept me from internalizing and dwelling on the hard stuff. Instead, they provided an alternative solution by encouraging me to show up each day.

Long day at work? Show up.

Sad feelings about missing my best friend? Show up.

The day after Stella passed, I asked Steve if I could just come use the rower. I didn’t want to do a workout, but I needed to do something. He told me to show up.

At the very least, I am a rule follower. So, I did.

Throughout this season and like many others, showing up was the easiest decision to make and also the hardest thing to do. I had to trust that the rest would fall into place if I just got there.

Spoiler alert: it did. I made it to 2019 with my feet somehow still on the ground largely in part because of this place and these people.

I really shouldn’t be surprised by that. For everything that I’ve ever thought was too hard or unreachable, they’ve encouraged me to go, do and endeavor. While not always successful, my journey to being a better human has been chronicled through my relationship with some of the best coaches and people I get to sweat alongside.

Consistency is greater than intensity.

Thanks to the recommendation of a few coaches, I’ve been reading/listening to habit philosophies by James Clear. He specializes in how we build and maintain habits and how they play an integral role in achieving goals. Oddly enough, it all ties back to the art of showing up (regardless of the arena you are in).

He said recently in an interview on a podcast, “Be the girl who puts on her running shoes each day – not the girl who aspires to run three miles.”

I’m a list maker, a doer and a goal setter. I like crossing things off a list. I like being held accountable for doing what I said I would do. However, shifting the perspective from goal setting to building and maintaining an environment for success was a lightbulb moment.

Simply put – if we don’t prepare our environment for what we’re trying to do, we’ll never get to a place where we succeed.

With a job that produces tasks that need to be completed at the rate of water spewing out of a fire hose, I live daily with the expectation that nothing will be the same as the day before.

If I could paint a picture of total anxiety for someone who loves structure, boundaries and rules – this is probably it. It took me awhile to adjust, but it also provided an opportunity to build and create systems that help me prioritize and mitigate the day.

For me, that includes waking up at dark-thirty, putting on my shoes and showing up to put in some sweat equity for an hour or so before the day begins.

The alternative is a drastic shift in my day, I don’t feel like I can organize clear, cohesive thoughts, my energy levels are low and I’m downright grumpy.

Y’all, this is the equivalent of me showing up to run a race with only one shoe tied, completely dehydrated and my shirt inside out.

Consistently showing up has made a vast difference in my life throughout my time with Versus, but specifically over the last several months.

When I walk through the gym doors or find my way to the train station platform, I’m greeted with motivation to do harder things that continue to aid in building a better/tougher mindset to tackle the day ahead of me.

I joined Versus all those years ago for the same reasons everyone joins a gym – to feel better about myself physically. But, the reward of consistency over intensity has been so much more.

Trusting the process.

I have the patience of a toddler, and six years is a long time to see the other side. But, I think that’s what has made this whole thing more special. It’s also allowed me a better understanding of how being better emotionally and physically goes hand-in-hand with hard work and a consistent effort. For me, this translates directly to real life application.

I have some very lofty goals for this Spring: sub-27 minute 5K, a faster 10K and Vested MURPH are at the top. Weight loss is in there somewhere, too. But, I’ll never get there if I don’t show up.

In addition to showing up consistently, I’ve been putting in extra work after the gym and on the weekends. I’m also in the throes of better food habits. Rabbits don’t have anything on my ability to put down a raw bell pepper as a snack.

But real, honest moment? The scale hasn’t moved and some training days leave me feeling so defeated. What keeps me going is the fact that this is all about more than crossing a finish line and checking off a goal.

It’s about a lifestyle of choices that leave me feeling better and capable of tackling whatever is ahead of me.

Years like 2018 will always be around. 2019 may be better, but hell – it might be a repeat. Regardless – mental toughness, the ability to show up and do hard things, will continue to be the byproduct of the physical work I put in. All of which is only amplified by a team of people who continue to believe in me.

If you don’t have a Versus, you should find one. Surrounding yourself with people who can keep you moving even when you feel like you can’t is worth its weight in gold. Iron sharpens iron.