It’s official, I am 50 years old. Hopefully, I am about halfway through this incredible journey called life. If I’m anything like my grandmother, who will turn 103 years old in January, I am not even halfway there yet. About a year ago this milestone seemed like a distant fantasy and I was ready to accomplish so much by the time the big day arrived. I wanted to achieve a backflip, go skydiving, expand my business and more. However, the closer I got, the more I realized how little I was actually getting done and I began to worry about all of the things I hadn’t yet accomplished in life. That was when I decided to make a change.

I talk a lot about stinking thinking. It’s when you talk yourself into a “funk” because you are focusing on the negative. The negative thoughts were clouding my brain. “I should be more financially stable and I should own my own home. I should be spending more time with my kids, my business should be bigger and better, and I should have traveled more of the world. I should have taken better care of my skin and I should be in better shape and ready to compete at the CrossFit Games with the Fittest on Earth and I should be in a strong, loving relationship with the man of my dreams.”

The thoughts were dragging me down.

But life happens. Stuff gets in the way and then suddenly we realize we are running out of time. Time is not something that I can control. However, I can control certain things, like my thought pattern and how I react to what goes on around me and to me. So, I decided to start counting my blessings. Here is what I came to realize: Fifty is pretty damn cool.

Y’all, THIS is Fifty:

• I don’t need to prove myself to ANYONE but myself.
• I do not EVER need to chase ANYONE or convince them to like me or love me. Either they like me for who I am or they don’t.
• When someone does something really rotten to me, it is NOT my fault and I am not responsible for their actions in any way, shape or form.
• And NO one is responsible for my personal shit-storm but me. No one can make me be an asshole – that’s on me.
• I am not responsible for making anyone in this world happy, but me – not my partner, not my kids, not my parents and not my friends or clients.
• And NO ONE can make me happy – no one can fill a void and no one can be my hero. That’s my job.
• I have learned to set boundaries. You do you. I’m totally good with that. UNTIL it crosses my boundary. You will know what my boundaries are.
• I can be vulnerable without getting destroyed.
• I can be kind without allowing people to take advantage of me.
• I don’t do drama.
• I feel more competent than ever before
• I can conquer my fears and accomplish my dreams – one at a time!
• I feel more compassionate, kind, forgiving and loving than ever before.
• I am stronger than I have ever been before in my life. Not necessarily only physically stronger, but mentally, emotionally and spiritually stronger.
• I get to be the MOST AWESOME version of me – just for me.
• MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL – I am SURROUNDED by the MOST AWESOME people I could imagine in my life. Seriously -THE MOST AWESOME. I can make a list, but it wouldn’t matter because you all didn’t do it to be recognized. You did it because you are awesome. Some of you are family, some are friends, some are clients. I was AMAZED at how many are clients.
• When I created this business, CrossFit Odyssey, it was based on helping people become their best. But what I really did was create a crazy-ass army of people who are actually helping ME be my best. All of this I have mentioned – I learned this through all of YOU. You see, everyone tells you that you get back what you put out in the world. I didn’t really get it – but it’s true.

So there will be no stinking thinking about what I don’t have or about what I haven’t done before turning 50. Because I AM GRATEFUL. I am grateful to all of you who have entrusted me with your time, your bodies, your hearts, and your spirits. I am grateful for your smiles when you walk in the door and the hard work you put in. I am grateful for your immeasurable kindness not only to me but to all of us coaches and to each other.

So thank you. Thank you for the wonderful birthday gifts (I spent last weekend with my son in Nevada) and for being such a wonderful part of my life. You guys are THE BEST and my life would be less without each and every one of you in it!

With Deepest Gratitude,

Ellie