Embracing the Olympic Spirit: Trusting the Journey and Celebrating the 2024 Paris Games
Reminiscing on amazing Olympic memories.
Embracing the Olympic Spirit: Trusting the Journey and Celebrating the 2024 Paris Games
Shannon’s July update
Are you as excited as I am for the upcoming Summer Olympics in Paris!? I don’t know about you, but I love all the behind-the-scenes stuff about each of the Olympians. If you haven’t yet, I’d highly recommend the mini-series “Sprint” on Netflix. I’m going to be watching the 100 & 200 meter sprint events like never before. My family is hooked, and I have to be honest, I think we need this for every sport. I am way more invested when I know a little bit more about the athletes competing.
It got me thinking about what I was going through in the week leading up to my very first Olympic Games in 2002 in Salt Lake City. The 2002 Games were only a few short months after the horrendous attacks that rocked our entire world on 9/11. We didn’t even know if there was going to be an Olympics, and I have to tell you, when I was finally able to put on my red, white, and blue Olympic uniform bearing the American flag on one arm and the Olympic rings on the other, I was overwhelmed with gratitude. I had a deep sense that this uniform was representative of much more than just my dream of winning gold at the Olympics. Putting on an Olympic uniform and representing their country is one of the greatest honors an athlete can ever have. In that moment, I knew that this was a symbol that the world’s athletes could come together and compete in fairness, in love, in respect, in friendship, and in pride. Putting on that uniform changed me forever and gave me the courage to go after my dreams 100%, knowing that the entire country was behind me and cheering me on.
I will never forget walking into the Olympic stadium with the rest of Team USA. With the bobsledders, ski jumpers, snowboarders, figure skaters, and curlers. We were not just individual athletes; we were one team, united together wearing red, white, and blue. I knew as I walked out into that stadium that the Olympic spirit was a real tangible thing, and it was going to give me the energy I needed to compete my best. The Olympic spirit helped give me the confidence to believe in myself and all of the hard work and training I had put in. If I trusted the Olympic spirit, the Olympic spirit would trust me back.
As I watch all of the athletes preparing for these upcoming Games, I just want to tell them to trust! Trust in themselves, trust in their training, trust in the people who have believed in them, trust in their ability, trust in their journey, trust in their smile, and trust in the love they have for their sport. In times like this you must do exactly as you have done up until this big moment and TRUST that it will carry you the distance!
We can all take a page from the Olympic playbook and apply the same principles of trust and spirit in our everyday lives. Just as athletes trust in their training and abilities, we can trust in our own efforts, dedication, and passion. Whether we are facing a challenging project at work, striving for personal goals, or navigating life's ups and downs, embodying the Olympic spirit means believing in ourselves and the journey we are on. By embracing this mindset, we can find the strength to overcome obstacles, the courage to push forward, and the inspiration to reach new heights. The Olympic spirit isn't just for athletes; it's a powerful reminder that with trust, determination, and a supportive community, we can achieve great things. You, me, all of us!
I hope you enjoy the upcoming Paris Olympics. It is going to be a fantastic few weeks. So many dreams will come true, so many athletes will find out what they are truly made of, but most of all, the Olympics will bring the world together in fairness, in love, in respect, in friendship, and in sport! Let’s go 2024 Olympians, we are ALL cheering for you!!
3 events I can’t wait to watch in Paris
Women’s soccer
Beach volleyball
100 & 200 meter sprint
I will leave you with one final quote from Bronte Barratt, Australian swimmer and 2008 gold medalist. "It's not about winning at the Olympic Games. It's about trying to win. The motto is faster, higher, stronger, not fastest, highest, strongest. Sometimes it's the trying that matters."
So go out and put in your best effort– and cheer loud and proud for your favorite Olympians!