Kelly’s Korner: Riding Changes Everything
Last Updated: November 30th, 2020
I am such a different person compared to when I decided to start riding. And you are not the same, either. You’re better. More fulfilled, more confident, open to more life. That’s all true for me. I look back at who I was seven years ago and almost don’t recognize myself in that woman. I certainly looked different — fat; drab clothes; unkempt, over-dyed hair — but the inside was in even worse shape. I lacked confidence, assertiveness, direction and, in many areas, hope.
That all has changed. Other resources in life also have helped me to become who I am today, but the whole journey started one early-summer evening on the back of my husband’s bike. That night, I understood that relying on other people would keep me bored and stunted. My husband had asked me for years whether I was interested in riding and my response each time was that it wasn’t for me. My (screwed-up) thinking? I wasn’t the adventurous type, I didn’t trust myself, I was afraid to try something out of my comfort zone. That night, though, something broke. I was tired of the confines I had constructed around myself, and I saw riding as a way to start busting through those walls.
Of course, I had no clue how much riding would impact my life. There’s too much to describe so let’s go with this: Riding has led to unexpected friendships, experiences, sights, frustrations, answers, philosophies, epiphanies and pursuits. My life is bigger, if that makes sense, because riding creates ripple effects. For instance, choosing to ride boosted my confidence. It gave me the capacity to take on other challenges in my life and make necessary changes. As one example, I’m a CrossFit nut and coach. This from a lifelong non-athlete. There are other, more important evolutions that have taken place as well. The takeaway is that I like myself at last, and helping other people is important to me; I finally feel I have something positive to share.
Riding changes everything. Whether you’ve fallen as low as I had by the time I started riding doesn’t matter. What matters is taking stock of how far you’ve come and being grateful for where you are right now. So, how are you different? What unexpected changes have you experienced? What hoped-for changes has riding brought about in your life? Most of all, what’s next? Keep in touch with me at kellyteal13@gmail.com.
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