Breaking up with your Sport...Life after being an Athlete.

There's an old saying that goes “enjoy it while it lasts”. You know the saying we always ignore every time we hear it. The next thing you know you have graduated college, run out of eligibility, and wondering what to do with your time. If you are reading this, I can only assume at some point you have felt this way…some more than others and it’s a REAL THING.

All of my life I trained to be one of the most elite at my craft. Almost EVERYTHING revolved around cheer. My job, social life, and hobbies were all centered around cheerleading. I was borderline obsessed because I was so in love with the sport, and so hungry to be the best in the world. At the time it was all worth it to me and I didn’t care about the infamous “life after cheer” because in reality I didn’t want to envision myself in any other way. However, all good things must to come to an end. My mother used to tell me all the time, “Do not let cheer define who you are, because one day there will be no more cheerleading”. I would ignore her and keep pretending like that day wouldn’t come. It did, and I WASN’T PREPARED.

I don’t mean to be dramatic when I say this….but I do feel like there is a period in every elite athlete’s life where you go through a small depression when it’s all over. You don’t know what to do with your time, how to work out in order to stay in that elite shape you have always been in, your circle of friends change, you take on real life adult responsibilities, your mindset changes, and your priorities change. Even if you continue in a career involving your sport, it still isn't the same as being physically involved.

There is not a lot that can really prepare you for the heartbreak of accepting that you are done. Here is a list of things I wish I would have known to prevent the heartache I went through after cheer.

1. Make time for yourself outside of your sport. There is something refreshing and healthy about having multiple things you are passionate about.

2. Take proper care of your body, NOT JUST FOR YOUR SPORT. Remember that when it is all over, your body has to get you through the rest of your life.

3. Create a healthy relationship with your sport. Know the difference between dedication and obsession and understand that taking breaks is a necessary and healthy part of being an athlete.

4. Be willing to accept that your body will change after your sport because you will not be doing specific training every day, however also be aware that you are in control of continuing to stay in shape and finding healthy and fun ways to work out and be fit (will post a specific blog just on this subject).

5. Remember that YOUR QUALITIES AND CHARACTERISTICS make you who you are, not your sport

There is a life when it’s all over. That phase of life is just different, yet quite beautiful if you choose to accept it. This phase is when you truly find out who you are to the core, without sports and school involved. This is when you decide what you want to do with the rest of your life. This phase is when you take everything you have endured mentally and emotionally through being an athlete and you use it to conquer the very real every day struggles. I didn’t want to write a sad, “appreciate every moment while you can”, article because I feel like I have read so many of those. I wanted to write a more realistic “this really does end, but you can deal with it in a healthy way and be ready to take on the next phase of your life” type article. Live in the moment, accept that the moment will come to an end, and prepare yourself in a healthy way for the next phase of life. I feel like what we lack is mental preparation. So here is a little preparation for you….Your sport is only a portion (an important portion) of your life. There is so much more to you than the sport you participate in, and you have so much more to offer the world. Take what you learn from it and apply it so you can conquer life, the way you conquered being an elite athlete. Even the very best in the world have a limit, but they also have a life afterwards.