Dooley Noted: 7/12/2016
I lift barbells, kettlebells, and my body weight as a daily discipline.
It had made me stronger in mind than I could have ever imagined.
But I struggled when I met a weight I could not lift.
It would leave me mentally disheveled.
Old anxieties would set in.
I would feel defeated, and I would ruminate into thoughts of not feeling good enough.
And then, I met the steel in a different way.
I was handed bolts and was told to bend them by my first steel bending coach, Chris Rider.
Then, I married a steel bending record holder, Jonathan Fernandez.
They would hand me things that were beyond my current capability of bending and ask me to bend them.
They were teaching me about isometric strength.
And, they were teaching me what could be learned from failure.
I learned not to ruminate.
I learned to go to all my technique cues – but to clear my mind right before I tried to bend the steel.
I saw this start to carry over into my life.
It changed how I approached the weights.
It changed how I approach life’s road blocks.
It made me smile at challenges – rather than get upset by them.
I’m learning we are much stronger than we perceive ourselves to be.
If you are hitting roadblocks in your life, come learn to bend some steel with us.
Watch yourself bend what is perceived to be unbendable.
Watch yourself struggle – just to overcome it.
Come learn the strength of steel has nothing on your strength.
As always, it’s your call.
– Dr. Kathy Dooley
P.S. Learn steel bending basics with Chris, Jonathan and I at Catalyst SPORT on Sunday, Ocr 2.
To register: