Tough Times Don’t Last
As the 2024 year and triathlon season comes to a swift end, I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on the past 12 months.
2024 was up there as one of my most difficult years. I had a grand plan of racing and travelling to new countries to race, but 2024 taught me that not all plans are meant to be.
In 2024 I fractured my sacrum, fractured my foot, had a concussion, had many depressive episodes and frankly some of my worst days - I was also diagnosed with RED-S and spent a long time (not done yet) working through the physical and the mental aspects of that.
In 2024, I was on crutches for almost 2 months. I’ve had MRIs and more physio and sports doctor appointments than I can count.
In 2024 I cried, and I cried a lot. In 2024, I hit rock bottom.
But, guess what also happened in 2024: My fractures healed. I got over my concussion. I stopped crying. I became an aunt. I got on the property market with my husband to be. I gained a new perspective and gratitude for my health and life.
And with this, I developed a new why.
I think with anything big, any audacious goal in life, you need a strong why. Why you do it. Why you believe in it.
Why you keep going back for more. Why you get up at 5am everyday. Why you CHOOSE to do the training.
Why you CHOOSE to keep pushing when you’re tired and sore. Why you say no to some social occasions.
On paper, I think I could easily look back on 2024 and think yes, this was 100% one of the most difficult years I’ve had. I wanted to give up on more than one occasion. I wanted to stay in bed and never get up. I wanted to quit sport. But these thoughts and feelings don’t last.
I reminded myself of my why. I reminded myself what I’m doing it for and it’s much bigger than these fleeting feelings of sadness. Sadness that does and has passed.
The more I reflect on it, the more I realise that 2024 may be a year I’ll look back on and appreciate for the growth. I appreciate each injury and experience this year as a tough time that could have gotten the better of me, but I chose to keep pushing on.
In 2024, in a way, I began to expect disappointment for a while. But I gradually became stronger and more resilient. I didn’t believe, but I made myself believe again. And when you start to believe in yourself a little bit, good things just happen.
So I’m letting this year serve as a reminder, that yes, sometimes life is shit. Sometimes life is really hard. But sometimes life is amazing. And it’s how we choose to ride the wave that dictates what happens next.
A small bit of gratitude and self-belief goes a long way.
Tough times don’t last, but tough people do.