Not Tim

Categories: Blog Nov 03, 2019

And now, a guest post by OS Instructor and Friend, Sarah Young...

 

Just Took a DNA Test Turns Out...

 

A couple of weeks ago a client (and friend), Darci, asked if I’d tried a specific move that Tim Anderson demoed in one of his OS Movement Snax videos. I hadn’t.  So with Lizzo singing in the background, we pulled up Tim’s video and watched it. I thought, hmmmm... that doesn’t look too crazy and I said, “Let’s do this!” And without missing a beat Darci and I attempted said move. 

 

All the while I was singing along with Lizzo, in my head, in order to spare Darci the burden of suffering from my singing. And it was all going pretty smooth until it wasn’t. At one point in the move my brain and body must have lost connection. I started going down. But I was still singing along with Lizzo in my head. And as my butt hit the ground, with little if any grace, I found myself singing out loud, “I just took a DNA test turns out I’m 100% NOT Tim”. And maybe you had to be there, but it was pretty funny. And if nothing else, Darci got a good laugh.

 

And the truth is, I’m not Tim. I’m not able to do all the crazy moves and strength stuff he can do. At least not yet. And some days when I watch Tim’s Movement Snax I think to myself, “That looks awesome. Can’t wait to try it!” On other days I watch Tim’s latest video and laugh. The thoughts in my head running along the lines of, “That’s so not happening for me today. And probably not tomorrow either.” And that’s ok.

 

Because here’s some more truth. A bigger truth. The world already has a Tim Anderson. And Tim is doing a damn fine job of being Tim. The world simply needs me to be the best Sarah possible. And if I forget that and start measuring myself against what Tim can do, or what Dani or Darci or Kirby or Fury or Piers or Aleks or anyone else can do, well, that’s just a ridiculous waste of time and energy. The ‘truth’ that comes with that kind of comparison game only hurts. And it’s not really truth at all. Because none of those folks share my biology or my biography. It’s just a lie that robs me of my power. A lie that distracts me from my job of being the best me possible. Here and now.

 

And on different days and at different times it can be easier or harder to show up as my best self. Because life happens. And sometimes life seems to have me on a glorious trajectory of leveling up and sometimes it seems to have me stalling and circling back. But my job is to keep growing in order to realize the full potential and power of me. That’s the job I was born to do. To be me. And to accomplish my job I sometimes have to retrace my steps to re-discover pieces of strength and connection I may have lost along the way. My job is to keep moving from good to better to best and to learn to be gentle with myself along the way. And oh yea, to remember to have some fun too.

 

Now all of this is not to say that I don’t appreciate Tim and all the other amazing people I have in my life that show me all the awesome that is possible. Because I do. I am inspired by Tim and Tevin and Dani and Darci and Kirby and Radek and Amber and PJ and Kirsty and Piers and Mike and Fury and Chip and all the people in my OS orbit who bless my life. People who are committed to being the best possible versions of themselves. People who might hit a wall one day but get back at it the next day and find a way to unleash more of their unique and wondrous selves. My life is filled with sheroes and heroes and I am grateful.

 

And after all, isn’t being one another’s sheroes and heroes really what life is all about? Because life can be tough. Encouraging one another... lifting one another up.... reflecting to one another what is possible... that is the work of sheroes and heroes. Are you ready to cape up?

 

And to quote some more truth from the phenomenal Lizzo, “You know you a star, you can touch the sky. I know that it's hard but you have to try”. 

 

We are all meant to shine and touch the sky. And we can do it, in part, by setting aside the comparison games. By making space instead to be inspired. By making space for gratitude. By being a little more gentle with ourselves.

 

So please just keep showing up as you. I know it’s not always an easy thing to do in this world. But the word on the street is it that your DNA test says you are 100% awesome. And that’s some big truth.

 

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