Show up as you are, just show up.

CrossFit has a way of showing you what you’re capable of. Not just physically, but mentally. 

I don’t remember my first CrossFit class or how it made me feel, but I definitely remember how I felt the first time I coached one. I was absolutely terrified. I was still learning the movements, still scaling everything, and still doubting whether I belonged in that role at all. I didn’t feel ready, but CrossFit had already been teaching me how to show up scared and do it anyway.

Over time, I noticed that every class I coached, every movement I struggled through, and every small win was quietly building confidence and courage. And in that process, I started to understand something important: I didn’t need to be the best athlete to be a good coach. I didn’t need to have everything mastered. What mattered more was being able to meet people where they were – to see them, support them, and help them believe in themselves a little more. Just like CrossFit had done for me.

Last October, I was already dealing with a shoulder injury when I injured my back. All the progress I’d been making in my own training came to a stop. I barely came to the gym unless I had to coach. And when I did, I had to scale everything. I felt like I was starting over – but this time, I had something I didn’t have much of before… compassion. Not just for others, but for myself.

I started to apply the same philosophy we use in coaching to my own training. I modified my workouts. I listened to my pain. I met myself where I was. And I did it with the help of our amazing coaches and the supportive community we’ve built here at YCT.

CrossFit didn’t just make me stronger. It made me braver and gave me the tools to lead others and the mindset to keep going, even when things don’t go as planned. So now, every time I show up, whether I’m coaching or training, I come back to this:

Meet people where they are, including yourself.