If you didn't know that the Summer Olympics have been going on in Rio, then you've probably been living under a rock. As of August 15th, the United States has a total of 26 gold medals, 21 silver medals and 23 silver medals. According to the nifty Snapchat filters that the Olympics is sponsoring, those medals have the United States in first place, followed by Great Britain with a total of 39 medals.
I've always loved watching the world's best athletes competing, whether it's the summer or winter games. It amazes me that there are people out there with barely any body fat, who love a sport so much that they've decided to make a living out of it. Olympians are the prime example of people who make a job out of something they are passionate about. They strive to make their times better, to make their tricks cleaner, to win the gold. We stare at the screen, watching in wonder as each event passes. We watch, and then we compare ourselves to the Olympians -- how they are so much more successful than we are, how perfect their bodies are, and how flawless they seem compared to us.
It's so easy to get caught up in the "perfection" these athletes bring into the world. We have made an international event out of judging these exceptional people, an event in which the participants are striving for precision. It seems like the average person is so far off from achieving their own gold medal.
Trust me when I say that there are gold medals out there for everyone, in unconventional ways. Not everyone can be an Olympian, but everyone can celebrate the little victories in their lives. You can be a kind human being, which will inspire the people around you as much as Olympian athletes inspire the audience.
So what -- you don't look like a top-notch athlete.Your body is still breathtaking and beautiful. It reflects what you've been through, just like the body of an athletes' does. Stretch marks? You've done some growing. Got a belly? You've been able to eat today. Your body is functioning, and is a miracle in itself. Don't downplay that by comparing it to an Olympians, much less anyone else's body.
You've made it through another day in this big, scary world. Maybe you're a college student who is watching and thinking, Laurie Hernandez is 16 years old, and she has a gold medal for gymnastics. I will never be that successful, and I'm basically almost an adult. OK. Stop right there. College is hard. Well, the Olympics are too. Life is hard my friend. We all live it differently. In a few years, you will have a college degree and go on to get a good-paying job and maybe another graduate degree or two. Your successes cannot be made insignificant because a young athlete is really good at what they do. You're just as good at what you are doing in life, even if it doesn't feel like it.
I challenge you with giving yourself a pat on the back because you did something amazing today. That is your gold medal. The more you start to appreciate yourself, the more confidence you will gain. There will always be people in life who are better than you, more successful than you. However, you can continue to work and improve. Be an Olympian of life.
