Musings
Grace
“I do not understand the mystery of Grace – only that it meets us where we are but does not leave us where it found us.” ~ Anne Lamott Grace—like so many other things in life we do—is a choice. A choice to be given deliberately. And yet what makes Grace Grace, is when it […]
Facets
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the similarities between Relationships, meaningful dialogue, social interactions and Diamonds. What? Yes, I heard some of your thoughts… Now what is she talking about??? I’m talking about FACETS ? more seemingly crazy talk. Let me explain… The first thing to know about diamonds is there’s no such thing […]
HumanKIND
We are days away from our presidential election and it’s impossible to ignore the divide that’s happening in our country. Regardless of the outcome, we need to appeal to the better nature of our character. Depending on the time of day or the last thing you read on social media, that might be hard to […]
The Social Dilemma
Whoa! The Social Dilemma, the new documentary on Netflix is getting a lot of buzz. It highlights the danger and “attention extraction” that’s at the heart of the algorithms we expose ourselves to throughout each day. (Full disclosure, I had to do some research on how algorithms work.) As the documentary highlights, “If you’re not […]
Gymnastics Under Construction
Change doesn’t happen overnight… and anything important in life takes time. For change to take hold, consistency is vital; consistency to a new vision and the discipline and perseverance to stay the course toward that vision. There is no one-hit solution that will make the sports, including gymnastics, or any systemic injustice, better. Culture in […]
Making Fear a Servant
Why am I having a hard time catching my breath? Do I have “It?” I’m sure we’ve all had thoughts like this pass through our mind—even if ever so briefly—as we attempt to grapple with life during a pandemic. It’s fear. And why not? It’s fear that helps us put on our mask when we […]
Mental Imagery: Not Just for Athletes
Our minds guide our lives. Having worked in athletics my entire adult life, the topic of Mental Imagery is nothing new to me. Whether it’s called the Game Within the Game, The Inner Game, or Mind Gym… it all refers to the importance of using your mind as your greatest asset and not allowing it […]
The Pause
“The pauses between the notes – ah, that is where the art resides.” ~ Artur Schnabel When I recently read this quote, it immediately reminded me of all the gymnastic floor routines I’ve choreographed. One of my signature moves was the non-move. The stillness. The pause. I’ve had people make fun of my choreography for putting in the “Miss Val pause […]
This Too Shall Pass
I imagine we’re all feeling the same wave of emotions only in vastly, varying degrees. When I’m asked “How are you doing?” My response is always crystal clear… “I am fine. Bobby and I are fine. I am just extremely concerned, sad and anxious for those people who aren’t fine.” My mind bounces from trying […]