“Great works are performed not by strength, but by perseverance.” — Samuel Johnson
I can’t believe I finished Week Three! Whoop! Whoop! Yes, it’s eight weeks after I started, but I haven’t given up and my handstand is better than ever. I can hold for a few seconds away from the wall and I’m not scared to try kicking up in the middle of the room. The drills are “Tough tough tough tough tough tough tough!” (to quote the Talking Heads) but they really have made me so much stronger, and with that strength has come confidence.
In some ways, I think the confidence aspect is the most important part. That and the determination to do it. I remember when I first started kicking up to the wall — or should I say “banging against the wall” — and I had no confidence as to whether I’d get my legs up, how much noise they’d make when they made contact with the wall, and if my arms would buckle when I got up there. I like knowing that I can “float” my legs up rather than kerplunking them, but I know that this ability came from LOTS of practice and a shift in my mindset.
So even though I’m working on a six-week course that is probably going to take me 12 or 13 to complete, I can feel proud that I’m doing it at all and advancing every single time I put my hands on the floor. If Kyle was reading this, I don’t know if he’d shake his head with disappointment or high-five my tenacity. (I haven’t met the guy and probably never will, but I like to think that he’s a genuinely nice person who really wants everyone to be able to do a handstand. In which case, it would be the high-fives and maybe even some applause to go with it.) Either way, I feel very proud and happy and I still have three weeks to go! It can only get better (and harder) right? 🙂
