The Journey to the Arnold

by: Alicia - March 3rd, 2010

Journey all right, but is it really to the Arnold or a life
journey. I am not just going to Arnold, but I am growing in my own
personal journey. Are you ready for the Arnold? A common question
that the competitors are constantly asked! Are we ever ready for
anything? The answer to the question is no. I think a more
appropriate question is "are we prepared "? Being prepared
emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually are areas that I
am working on everyday. This "journey" to the Arnold has been a time
when I have been at my weakest. I am not talking about weights,
cardio, etc... I am talking about some personal issues that have
caused my spirits to weaken. Isaac Hinds w Hardbody asked me to
complete a questionnaire about myself and I refused. I felt like I
had nothing to offer, honestly training wasn't going well, dieting
preparation wasn't going well.

Now I feel as though I do have something to offer because I had to
be reminded that God can use my misery as a part of my ministry.
Someone may need to be strengthened by my struggle. A balance
between the emotional, mental, physical and spiritual has to be
there to prepare in a healthy manner. My journey has been composed
of a weakened spirit in which it threw off all other areas. In
2008, Isaac nicknamed me "Smiley"- I was in such a deep place that I
even told Isaac not to call me Smiley anymore because I had
temporarily lost myself. I can't just find myself in a day, but
with my strong faith and the support that I have in my surroundings
it has allowed me to build myself up. My confidence levels are back
up even though my body might not be in the condition it was last
year. Its not about trying to make others happy. We cannot get so
caught up that we lose ourselves and we lose what our real purpose
is, to me its what we value. Competing is a small part of our lives,
judges scoring can go many ways, and after the weekend is over, our
own personal lives go on and we must ask ourselves what is our real
purpose. What have we been put on this earth to do! ?
Smiley never left- Just in a Divine Down time!

"In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who
have been called according to his purpose"- Romans 8:28
God Bless

Alicia

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