Being an Athlete

This is not about being a champion; it is about the process of being an athlete, the things that it takes to get into the game. Over the past few weeks I have been going through files and looking at old workouts and training programs. That is what got me thinking about the process of being an athlete. Looking back on my years of coaching and my time as a collegiate and post collegiate athlete and even back to my high school days there are clearly things that go into being an athlete. These are things you must do and have before you can think about being the best, before winning games or races. Some are attributes and some are actions. They are basic, fundamental and foundational.

Being an athlete is special; you are part of a brotherhood that pursues excellence for it’s own rewards. The medals, trophies and yes even the money are not what drives the athlete. What drives the athlete is that in every training session and in every competition you do your best. You give your best effort.

Being an athlete is not about talent, sure that is part of it, but it is really about potential. It is continually striving to reach your potential. To me that is where the satisfaction of being an athlete comes from, it is an inner satisfaction. Being an athlete is maximizing your potential, using your talent.

Being an athlete does not mean public proclamations about your dedication and desire, it is tquiet inner drive and determination. It is focus on the task at hand, accomplishing that task and then methodically moving on.

Being an athlete is certainly not comfortable physically, psychologically and emotionally. It is taking that extra step, paying closer attention to detail doing that workout when everyone else is taking the day off. It is constantly pushing the envelope of your abilities.

Being an athlete is not something you do it is something you are. It is not a two-hour a day proposition it is a 24 hour commitment.

Being an athlete is about setting goals and goal achievement. The goals must be SMART – Specific, Measureable, Achievable, Relevant and Time Bound. Goals are only words or numbers, you must have a plan to achieve the goals and then execute the plan.

Being an athlete is a mindset. It is a willingness to risk and constantly test your abilities, to try new techniques and training methods. It means being coachable.

Being an athlete is about having athletic intelligence. Knowing yourself and your body. Comparing you not to others but to you. It is constantly reminding yourself that you are the master of your athletic destiny. Remember that if it is to be it up to you, not the coach, the parents or fans.

Never take for granted being an athlete. It is very special. You get to test yourself and constantly reach higher, faster and stronger to be the best you can be. Enjoy the process.

It is an essay i read on the internet about how it is to be an athlete. I felt so inspired after reading it and never wished to quit playing the game I love. This helped me realized that being an athlete is not an easy task but is surely an opportunity not given to all by God. I am grateful I am an athlete it helped me learn a lot of things about life and has helped me stand up on the times I felt so down about myself. I hope you guys do not underestimate Athletes whatever they sport may be, may it be the not so popular sport Chess or the most popular sport Basketball.

Rain

I love the rain.

Its amazing.

The sound of rain is so calming, and the droplets of water are beautiful. It’s a sign of refreshment and it cleanses the air. I’ll never not love the smell right before it rains, or the colors of everything around you right after the rain has gone. The days when you walk outside and look to the sky to feel a light drizzle fall on your eyelids, lips, and cheeks. The rainbows, and the fresh air that it brings. The moments of drinking warm tea, and cuddling on a couch with a warm book.  

On the other, it reminds me of sadness and tears. It can be dreary and depressing. All those negative emotions and negative thoughts. Reminds you of days you've cried your heart out. Nights when you haven’t been able to sleep because of freaky thunder. Monsters, and horror movies where bad things always happen when its raining.

But most of all rain makes you think. 

Think, and think, and think, and think. 

Which is good. Thinking about things is never a bad thing. It helps clear  the mind and the senses. When I get broody and what not I sit down and think. Sometimes I blog, write my thoughts down, or talk to a close friend. I don’t really talk to people about my stuff because I’m not one of those people that just loves to tell people everything. There's very few people I will tell everything too. I’m also the type of person that just lets things go. I’m not really bothered by a lot, but sometimes I go through phases. 

That's just part of being human though? You go through phases of emotions during different parts of your life. You stick it through if its bad. You enjoy it if its amazing, and you ride it out if its mediocre.  

hehe, I just want to let you know that I really love it when it rains like it just lifts up my mood. I mean who doesn't love rain? :) 

MY GREATEST CHALLENGE

It is an often repeated sentiment by those who have been through high school that those were the best days of their lives. To be in high school is to be young and carefree and fearless. To be in high school is to walk that thin line between adolescence and adulthood. Well, it goes the same with me. High school, for me, is also another step to self-discovery. This was when I discovered facets of my personality that I know would affect me greatly in the future.

Growing up and stepping on to milestones along the way made me uncover the exquisite endowments that life has to offer to us. I tried everything that can be tried; I did all that can be done. I make sure that I take a hold on each and every opportunity that meets me while taking down the road to success so as not to have regrets in the end.

By giving my best in everything, I have discovered God's special gift for me. When I was in grade school, I was so much into sports. I joined the varsity team when I was in grade three and started participating in the nationals in grade four. I was too young to realize that at an early age I have already achieved so much. I played Badminton almost 7 days a week and it, fortunately, led me to be one of the few best athletes of my age in badminton in my hometown, Davao City. It made me so proud of myself that I never wished to stop playing the game I love the most. Playing Badminton became a part of my daily routine up until high school. I haven't stopped playing the sport but things weren't the same as before. The older I get the more things I get to leave behind, that's life.  I've met new people and i've had many choices to make but playing this sport isn't the only priority now. Living my high school as a student-athlete was fun and tiresome at the same time. There are lots of sacrifices to be made and tears to be shed but there were also laughter shared. It was fun going to other places and getting paid for doing something you love. It gave me so much happiness but there are also doubts.

Years have passed but im still not so sure if this road will be the road to a great future. I even came to the point where I really have to question myself, "Is this what I really want? Should I continue giving up my social life for hard trainings?" It took me lot of time to answer these two questions. Only two questions that seriously gave me terrible head aches. As I was remembering my recent performances, I realized I wasn't really doing well with my chosen sport anymore. I was getting tired. I was giving up. I thought I have no chances to be part of the Philippine Team and be one of the best badminton players in the country so I asked myself, "what's the point of continuing this?" I was doubting. I wasn't so sure at all if this is really it. I want to spend time with my friends as much as I want to spend time training. I was thinking "what if I give up this career? Will I be happy seeing my dream gone just to be with friends I am not sure to be there for me until forever?" But as what they have been saying "Anybody can quit."

Quitting is exactly what your adversaries hope you will do , and there's always a legitimate excuse. While thinking of giving up, I accidentally encountered this quote gotten from the movie Rocky Balboa, "Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't how hard you hit; it's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done. Now, if you know what you're worth, then go out and get what you're worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you are because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain't you. You're better than that!"

This put me into a realization that nothing worth having comes easy. You have to surpass all the hardships life will give to be able to achieve success. I realized that quitting should never be an option. I've already put a lot of effort to come this far. I have already sacrificed a lot to achieve my goals, shed gallons of tears to claim that victory I was dreaming of and received full support from my friends and family. Therefore, I have decided to continue the life I grew up with. To continue the sport I think I could never ever let go and the thing that molded me to be the person that I am today. I realized that my resources are always far deeper and far greater than I have ever imagined them to be. I got myself this far so why give up? I know down deep in my heart I still believe that I still have what it takes to go the distance.

Badminton may have been my life but it actually made me learn a lot of new things. Sports made me a better person. I am able to discipline myself and it even gave me so much courage and strength to show people with what I am capable of. Through this, I have shown to myself and to others that I can accomplish and surpass anything that life may give me, not only in sports and academics but also in reality. And with the help of the Jesuit teachings, I am able to show compassion and commitment to everything I do.

A Letter for Him

Dear you,

Thank you for all the memories. For all the chills you gave me, the moments we spent together. I didn't know but as time pass by, my love for you went deeper and deeper that it hurts. I missed you. I missed spending my whole afternoon with you. I missed how I was always excited during saturdays because I know I'll be seeing you again. I missed all your phone calls. I missed all your sweet text messages. I missed sleeping late at night just talking to you. All those silly things we used to do. I hate how I missed everything about you. But now, I know I can't do anything. I'll just stand there, talk to you like nothing happened, like it doesn't hurt because I know, right now, you don't care. I don't know why I started writing this but I just want to let you know that I loved you more than any man I ever loved. I don't know if I can still love another person just the way I did to you for I am afraid to get hurt, I dont think I can handle any more pain like this. The moment I heard about you and her my heart crashed into a million pieces but I hate it that with all the little pieces it still longs for you. Im afraid to say this, but I'm still hoping. Hoping that we can still get a chance. Maybe if you just did know how I feel for you, maybe we also worked things out, but I was trying to save our friendship because I never want to lose you in my life. This sounds corny or something pero what can we do, that's love. Even though how hard I try, I dont want to break your relationship, I just want the both of you to be happy. I know there are still many fishes in the sea, but at the moment you're my favorite fish. (that's funny, was laughing) I just want you to have a great relationship. Hope she loves you more than I do, not trying to be martyr or bitter or something, I hope you never know my feelings though its hard for me to keep it I have to do it. I don't have the right to be jealous or something cause I know and you know that nothing was going on between us ( or maybe there is, we just didn't know. LOL). I just want to be happy and for you to be happy also. I love you but I have to let go. Thank you! :')

Love,
Kim

The What-if's and the Should-have's

What if you love someone but you’re afraid of telling them that you do because you don’t want to break your friendship? But what if, he’s just waiting for you to give him the right signs because he’s feeling the same way too, but is also afraid of saying it?   What if both of you really love each other but no one’s brave enough to open it up?

What if…. We really have a lot of hesitations that sometimes it causes us to lose an opportunity where it’s just in front of our eyes and just have to grab it. Because of the deep friendship, no one’s got the enough courage to stand up for their love because of the thought of getting rejected and losing his or her relationship with the other person. We've been having tons and tons of what if’s in our minds. What if… what if.. what if.. it’s exhausting. Why can’t we freely express our true feelings? Just fight for it whatever the outcome may be?

In life, we really have our ups and downs. It doesn't always work out no matter how hard we try because it’s just not meant to be. But even if you failed, atleast you tried. It’s better to try and fail than to never try at all. You don’t want to have regrets later in the future because you didn't say something that might change everything, it’s like it will haunt you forever. You Only Live Once, so make it worth living. Say what your heart truly feels because if you keep on hiding it and just wait for that someone to confess to you first then nothing will happen. Do it, because it’s not impossible that maybe both of you are just waiting for each other until the other one gets tired and eventually fall out of love and it’s gonna be too late and there might not be any second chances at all.  You don’t want that to happen, right? It’s not bad to confess, because we all know that it’s not easy to hide what you really feel. It’s like you just want to say it to that someone’s face that ” HEY! I REALLY LOVE YOU! ” he or she might not reply, but don’t feel guilty. Why will you feel guilty if you’re saying the truth? All you need is 20 seconds of insane courage and you’ll never know if that 20 seconds will be the best 20 seconds of your life…or it could be the worst. 

Just believe in yourself. Never be afraid on what will be the outcome, even if you’re really hopeless, just do it because you never know. Don’t let the what-if’s and the should-have’s eat your brain. Always follow your heart. Live life to the fullest, never miss any opportunities there is to grab. Live. Laugh. Love.

xoxo,
Kim

The Lucky One

Dear Future Boyfriend,

                I don’t think I can last a day without thinking about you. You’re my life and I will love you with all my heart. Whoever will you be, I promise you I will never be ashamed to tell the world that you’re mine.You will be my dream come true. All these times I thought that dreams are too good to be true but you changed that. Everyday I will tell you just how much you mean to me and that I really love you.. but I don’t think I can because i’m too chic to say it. lol. kidding. Whenever I am with you, I know I won’t stop smiling because I know I’m one of the luckiest to have finally found my prince. I may haven’t seen you yet but I know I will love your eyes and your smile. Thinking of you will be a part of my daily routine and that will never ever change. I can’t wait for the days where we can walk around in our apartment with just our underwear and stay in bed all day if we want. We’ll shower together in mornings and make cute dinners and watch movies. Then, at the end of the day, we can fall asleep in each other’s arms knowing that we’ll still be next to each other when we wake up in the morning. It will be perfect. When we walk across the street i’ll be holding your hand knowing that i’m yours and that you’ll protect me. Kissing under the rain. Long walks on the beach. Back Hugs. Piggyback Rides. I can’t wait to do them all with you. I love you and i’m waiting for you. :)

Love,
Kim