To-Do: Do Not Fall

 1. Put away the laundry  (Do not fall)

2. Call mom (Do not fall)

3. Clean the kitchen (Do not fall)

A lot of people say music is universal, but I think "to-do" lists are really the common thread that brings us all together. This past weekend, I had a list like the one above sitting on my kitchen table, except I didn't need to write down "do not fall" because that is, without fail, the number one priority on my internal "to-do" list. It is the reason why when I walk into a place I've never been before, I immediately look for the closest piece of furniture I can casually lean against, even if it means initially standing a little further away from the group of friends I came to meet. It is the reason why walking around downtown, I frequently look down at the sidewalk for any bumps or inclines that might throw me off balance, even if it means missing out on a small part of the conversation happening around me. It is the reason why, when I feel the slightest bit unbalanced, whether that is physically or mentally, my instinct is to stop whatever it is that is making me feel that way; self-preservation digs its heels in so that I stay upright.

Here's where the connection to powerlifting comes in-- I'm lying down on a bench, feet planted, back arched, hands locked into place on the bar. I'm good to go, and then a brief moment of nervousness, anticipation, whatever you want to call it, kicks in. Even though I know that I will not fall off the bench, my body reacts as if I am about to lose my balance, and my mind says "Do not fall--stop." Honestly, that can be infuriating, because it feels like my body is betraying me, even though a large part of powerlifting is listening to your body and making the necessary adjustments in order to execute a movement. 

Unlike a lot of my other blog posts, I didn't write this one with any sort of theme in mind, I guess all of it is to say here is a day in the life of someone with Cerebral Palsy--just in case you see another one of us staring at our feet while walking downtown.

Because this post is a little heavy, here's some fun with deadlifting- 225 for a double