I love the Summer Olympics. Every four years for two weeks I stay up until midnight with tissues by my side. At times my knees are pulled close to my chest while peeking through a crevice of my hand. At other times I am on my feet cheering for an amazing accomplishment to be achieved.
Like many fans of the Summer Olympics I’m not an avid sports watcher. What makes it so different? It’s because they personalize the athletes. We feel like we know them and we relate to either them or someone who loves them -whom we are also blessed to learn more about through the producers’ great story telling.
There’s not a parent watching that can’t relate to the joy of seeing their child achieve their goal; or the pain of them not reaching it.
Watching the stories of the athletes and their families can also help us heal and release sadness and pain from a past experience. Viewing these families’ experiences can help us tap into a time when we felt heartbreak for a dear one or ourselves when we didn’t quite reach a goal or dream. And it can raise our vibration by tapping into a past achievement and we in turn relive the moment all over again.
But mostly we see and feel the glory of them reaching a goal and this inspires us to go for ours as well. It opens our heart and mind to face that inner critic that says “No you can’t.” It cracks the door to the possibility that you really can make it happen. And that you are indeed capable and deserving.
In my mind the athletes have already achieved so much by simply making the shortlist of ‘best of the best’ for their country. But each soul has its own destiny and dreams. Some are endlessly thrilled with a Bronze, yet others will only settle for Gold.
I love the more mature Michael Phelps in this Olympics. It seems the experience itself is now more important than the need for perfection. We can all learn from his wisdom.
So, let yourself ‘feel’ your way through the wonderful gifts of these Olympics– and grab onto a few things you can integrate or heal. Then go get your medal of honor.
