Everyone has done it before - standing there naked, looking in the mirror; part by part picking yourself apart, everything you hate about yourself comes rushing through the forefront of your mind. Suddenly, you feel weak, alone and miserable. That's why I want to continue doing what I do.
My name is Erica. I've been a fitness and bikini competitor for about 6 years. I love everything about competing; the drive, the push, the end result. I love it all. About a year and a half ago, I had to take some time off of competing. I went through a lot of issues, personal and health, and it killed my spirit. Depression set in, as did the weight and unhealthy eating habits. After it was all said and done, I planted my feet firmly on ground and thanked God that I made it through...even though I made it with 50 extra pounds, I made it.
So there I found myself ready to comeback with with a new purpose. One of my favorite parts of competing have always been my ability to mentor. I love helping woman. So many woman are faced with issues that many don't understand. The process of giving everything you have and standing on a stage for someone to tell you why you are or are not good enough, can be so emotional. Much like living day to day feeling like you aren't thin enough, healthy enough, smart enough or pretty enough. But that's what I love, helping women see that no matter what they want, they CAN be it or they can have it.
Over the years, I have struggled with myself. I've always felt like I wasn't enough, and competing only amplified it. I was never small enough, my butt was too big, breasts were too little, too black for some, to white for others...I was never enough. Until I learned that it was okay to just BE ME; and at the end of the day being the best me that I could at any given moment surpassed anything I ever dreamed of being. And that's why I want to come back to the stage and that's why I joined the Elite Heat.
I "met" Malenna and she shared so much of the passion that I shared and understood me in ways most people don't. We just clicked, had some of the same goals, and she immediately knew when to push and when to nurture to get me exactly where I need to be. Its going to be a long journey and I have so much work to do, but it seems like exactly what I need at the exact moment I need it. This isn't the first team that I have been on, but I truly believe that this is where I belong. I believe in the core values of Malenna's vision for herself and her team. I believe in order to make a difference in this industry, we have to make a little noise. Not just talk about it, but be about. At the end of the day, I have a desire to build people up, show them when they cannot see on there own and at the same time make the world see that I am a force to be reckoned with. After its all said and done, you will know my name. I'm a fighter and I won't stop until I'm ready to. Apparently, I have some unfinished business and I'm ready to make some noise.
No comments:
Post a Comment