IGNITE Her Comeback Grit
By Shayla A
Our GRIT is our long-term passion for something great and the endurance it takes to reach that greatness. The beautiful aspect of grit is that it is uniquely within a person, tailor-made, designed to fit, and molded to shape us in ways so that only we ourselves can reach those goals. Some of my background is in special education. In Special Education, we create for each child a special, tailor-made “program” that meets their needs as a learner in life. Ideally, in my perfect world, everyone deserves and needs a special, tailor-made program to assist them through the life of learning. We all need and require different comforts, different motivators, different levels of guidance through all challenges and celebrations. In this episode of IGNITE, we will discuss how to strengthen our grit by empowering our unique inner passions with the deep commitments to see ourselves across every finish line!
The world is full of people who show GRIT through struggles and challenges. Albert Einstein’s brain gave multitudes of wisdom and clarity, despite his continuous struggle through school. Michael Jordan didn’t make the high school basketball team, yet practiced enough and became one of the greatest basketball players in history. Walt Disney and Dr. Seuss were turned down by publishers many times over and told they were not creative in their art. It is because of their grit and perseverance to not give up on themselves, children (and adults) all over the world learn to read and have an undefinable imagination. Grit is not about having a goal and achieving it. Grit is the hard stuff that pushes and pulls us through the struggle. Grit is the drive after motivation loses its fuel. Grit is our inner coach boasting when we forget about the past mountains we have climbed and valleys we have dug out of. Grit is the power-up box that soars us through the air with a Super Mario Bros. racoon tail or ignites our star power to run through all obstacles that get in our way!
GRIT requires resilience, perseverance, and active choices. Grit is having long-term goals with the excessive determination and behaviors to achieve them. We build our grit by acknowledging the slow, steady pace of the tortoise putting one foot in front of the other with only the finisher’s flag in the line of vision. Power up each lap that you and your girls attain! Each lap is one small step forward to reach the finish line goal! We strengthen our grit by believing the struggles and failures are absolutely necessary for moving forward, not for setting us back. Encourage each disappointment! Failure shows where we need to grow, not what we cannot accomplish. Grit is ignoring the comparisons by staying in our lane for our journey. We cannot get to our destination by taking someone else’s path. Our journey is uniquely designed, tailor-made to fit us perfectly into our successes and achievements. We can empower our grit and our girls’ grit at every practice, in every discussion, through every lap. We encourage individual goals. We enlighten personal growth. We embrace strengths and weaknesses. Our grit is the good stuff in the middle of our tribulations that says, “Not today!” to the obstacles. Our grit is the hard stuff at our core that screams, “You can do hard things! Get going!” We are in the grit with our girls in their season, their practice, and their finish line. You are the perfect coach with the grit to see your team through obstacles, challenges, and setbacks! You have the grit to empower strength, resilience, and success in each of your girls!
Shayla A is the Coach Mentor for Girls on the Run Greater Kansas City. Her background comes from the classroom, coaching, day treatment schools, wellness, and advocating for children with special needs. She enjoys empowering and advocating for girls and coaches
in every challenge and celebration. Connect with her for support and assistance this season via call, text, or email. shaylaaranda@gmail.com | 816-284-9770
RESOURCE LIST TO IGNITE HERS and YOURS COMEBACK GRIT:
The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires
I Quit by Julie Ann Penn
Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth
TO WATCH A VIDEO ON HOW TO IGNITE HER COMEBACK GRIT: