life lessons

See you later

by Katie Welker

Although I recently wrote about my decision to not coach cheerleading next year, tonight’s end-of-the-year banquet was the final page of a chapter that has been two years in the making. Saying goodbye to my girls, leaving them with a few final “words of wisdom,” and hugging them before we departed was just enough to break my heart.

A few conversations in particular, with both my girls and some of the parents, made me realize how blessed I am to have genuinely connected with some of these young women. All along my hope was that I would help shape them into both talented athletes and respectable individuals. Little did I know, they were the ones who were teaching me.

As I shed tears sharing some final thoughts with my girls earlier, I realized a few things:

– Age does not dictate influence: some of the girls I coached are as young as 14 years old and have seen and experienced things that I know nothing about. Their ability to bring me back to my child-like sense of wonder is something I’ll always be appreciative of.

– Remember to be present: juggling coaching on top of an already-hectic life taught me how to compartmentalize my priorities, set limits, and be flexible. When I was at work, that’s where my focus was. When I was at the gym with my girls, my focus turned to them. I learned how to be intentional with my time, and to spend it on what means the most to me.

– Always do what you love: it’s what led me to this chapter in my life, and it’s what’s guiding me to the next one. I’m proud of my passions, even at the times when i’m singled out because of them. I’ve learned to truly fall in love with my quirks, and having the girls I coached embrace me for them solidified my belief that I should never be ashamed of doing what I enjoy.

– You will always be enough: this lesson was a doozy, but it’s one that sincerely resonated with me even as I attempted to teach it to others. Societal standards of what’s right, wrong, beautiful, ugly, appropriate, uncalled for, smart, stupid, etc., is straight up exhausting, and trying to meet a standard set by the masses is just impossible, not to mention unfair. Accepting who you are as an individual is a life-long process, and often an uphill battle. But that process of acceptance brings you to a place where you will not only look at yourself without judgement, but also look at others that way, too.

Sometimes the lessons you leave a situation with provide you the peace of mind you need to transition into a new chapter. I’m thrilled to see what new opportunities are in store for me down the road, and in the end, I guess it’s not really a goodbye, it’s just an I’ll see you later. 

banquet

Who is it

by Katie Welker

Tonight I spent time with one of my closest friends, and as we threw back a couple drinks we found ourselves playing this silly game called ‘tough questions.’ The rules? Ask each other tough questions. Shocking, I know.

We started off pretty top of mind: if these two people were trapped in a burning house and you could only save one, who would it be? and If you had to choose between a career and a family, what would you choose?

Then I asked him, if you could spend your last day on earth with only one person, who would you spend it with? As we talked through his answer and the subsequent topics to follow, it really got me to think about the company that I keep and who it is that I want to surround myself with. The issue stuck with me the whole drive home.

As i’ve come to learn all too well the past few years, you never know how much time you truly have with the people you love. So who is it that you would want to spend that last day with? Heck, even if you had a week, a month, a year… who would it be? Maybe it’s a family member, an old friend, a mentor you just wouldn’t be where you’re at now without, a significant other. Maybe it’s even a few people who you just can’t decide between.

I bet the answer will come quicker to you than you may realize. And if you’re fortunate enough to have the clarity of who these people in your life are, do yourself a favor and reach out to them, no matter how long it’s been. Then go a step further and make your gratitude for them known.

At the end of the day, hiding the reality of our heart does more harm than good, and often leaves us barricaded with doubt and confusion. When it comes to the important relationships in our lives, there shouldn’t be any guessing as to what we truly mean and how we truly feel.

Who is it?

Now go ahead. Tell them.