Last week, I had one of those moments that made me stop in my tracks.
Literally.
It was 5 AM. CrossFit. The bar was loaded, my music was blasting, I was ready to go. Same routine, same mindset—just show up and do the work.
But something felt off.
Maybe it was my shoulder acting up. Maybe my body just wasn’t in it. Whatever it was, I did something I never do. I stripped the weights off. Stepped back.
And immediately, my brain started in on me.
"You’re getting weak."
"You’re losing progress."
"You’re making excuses."
The usual drill. The guilt, the pressure to push through. But then I remembered something my physical therapist told me:
"The body has wisdom—if we’re brave enough to listen."
Strength isn’t just about pushing. Sometimes, it’s knowing when to pull back. Trusting that slowing down isn’t quitting.
And it’s not just about lifting. It’s about everything else, too.
Balancing work and motherhood.
Processing grief while showing up for life.
Healing—physically, emotionally—while everything keeps moving.
We’re told to push harder. Grind. Hustle. No pain, no gain. But no one talks about the strength in pausing. In saying, Not today. Not like this.
That morning, instead of chasing a PR, I worked on mobility. Slower. Less exciting. Exactly what I needed.