An Olympian Goal for a Regular Mom Inspired by Apolo Ohno

Written by Karen, a mom without a blog

Over the past two weeks I watched the NBC Olympic coverage along with millions of other regular folks around the world, marveling at the prowess and spirit exhibited by these super-human athletes. Sometime during the overwrought feature pieces on a few select Olympians, I was struck by something that was said by none other than short-track speed skater phenom, Apolo Anton Ohno. While describing his intense preparation for his sport, he explained that every night before he goes to bed he asks himself if he did everything he possibly could that day in his quest to be the best.

Wow. It takes a special kind of crazy to make an Olympic athlete. How much do they need to sacrifice each and every moment of each and every day to be the best they possibly can be in their sport?

Ohno’s words really stuck with me as a regular mom trying to get my kids AND me through the day in one piece. I mean if you REALLY want to be great at something, you should have no problem pushing yourself past a minimal or even normal amount of effort. Right?

As I reflected on Ohno's statement over the last few days, I came to the profound realization that I wanted to start trying to instill this challenge of “did I do everything today to be the best” in myself as a mother.

What if I, as a semi-adequate regular mom, decided to ask myself every night before I went to bed, “Did I do everything today I could have possibly done to be the best mother I can be?” And if the answer is no (which of course it would always be) – I would have to be willing to follow-up with, “What can I do tomorrow to be the best mother I can be?”

But then I’m stuck. I mean, these are noble questions to ask, but I don’t want to set myself for what will inevitably be failure on a daily basis. How do you measure parenting goals and achievements? You can look at the children – but they are kids – they are intangible and wonderfully complicated. Every time they fight or throw something or talk back or lie – well, does that make the parent a total loser?

I think my expectations of myself as a mother should be high or I’m short changing my young charges in a huge, life-altering sort of way. Parenting is a daily commitment that requires sacrifice. A sacrifice of Olympian proportions!

Guess what?

This kind of sacrifice is already happening. Parents across the globe are trying to do what they can to nurture future regular humans! It's not making the headlines, but it is more than headline worthy. The proof is all in the little things, not in that once in a lifetime slide along an icy slope, track or rink.

Back to questioning my daily success every night. I’m gong to stick to those little things in my own quest for better parenting.

I know I’m not going to get a medal for emptying the trashcan just before the waste of our lives goes spilling all over the floor...

…Or for not losing my keys for seven days straight!

…Or for arriving EARLY to pick up my 9-yr-old from ballet!

…Or for fully completing a laundry cycle (launder, fold and put away) in one day!

…Or for turning off the Olympics for 5 minutes to read a book to my preschooler!

These small victories in my daily life give me a tiny bit of comfort and peace of mind – something that ultimately translates to a less-harried, more-present mommy. Who needs a medal when you have the ultimate honor – the love of a child.

My inspiration from Ohno and the other dedicated Olympians is to challenge myself to be the best me I can be in real, tangible ways – and mentally checking in on my progress once and a while as I go along -

Which is truly the best I can do.

Now let's put away that Caillou book so I can re-wind my DVR - Lindsey Vonn sobbing in her husband’s arms after winning the downhill never gets old!

What Blog Conference Should You Attend?

Yep, it's that time of the year it seems. The conference chatter emanating from bloggers can be heard throughout the land. It's practically keeping me up at night. Can you all just simmer down?

Where should I go? What should I spend the money I don't have on?

BlogHer? Blissdom? Evo? Mom 2.0? SiTscation? Type A? Type B? O Positive? Cupcake?

Really, there's a blogging gathering called Cupcake?

Well... there is now.

My dear bloggy friend, Heather, and my new friend, Steph, inadvertently started a brand spankin' new conference concept in blogging.

And it's all the rage.

This past weekend, I got my So Cal soul on a plane and headed to the winter wonderland of Madison, Wisconsin for the inaugural Cupcake 10. (Considering the zero-ish temps in Wisconsin and after taking a nice slip on the ice in downtown Madison while hanging onto the one-and-only Maggie, I think this gathering should have been called "Iced." Still references cupcakes too.)

You see, Heather and Steph had come up with the brilliant idea of hosting a low-key blogging event where there was no formal agenda, no sessions, no cocktail attire, and most importantly, no need to hide behind your laptop or escape into your iPhone screen or do that weird thing that people do when they tweet right in the middle of when they are talking to you.

So they rented this place nestled on a mellow hill about 30 minutes outside of Madison....

...and 30 cool women converged on the place with so much food and drink that we could have stayed there for a week and never left.

For what was entirely too short of a weekend, we hung out and really talked to one another and shared pieces of who we really are without the anxiety and the games of those bigger conferences where you leave with your head spinning wondering if you really learned anything or if you really even talked to anyone for more than 3 minutes and 12 seconds.

The group was diverse as each soul there had her own reason for writing, for blogging, for coming, for being. As a group, we all sat in a circle spellbound, listening as each voice shared a story entirely unique but yet at the same time felt strangely familiar. I could have sat there all night just listening. These women inspire me.

And there was time for a freezing stroll at sunset to soak in the warmth of my surroundings....

...and time to continue building on friendships forged in a forum that not everyone understands but the relationships are real just the same.

Me and Ann

So if you're wondering what blogging conference you should attend, I think you should see if there is a Cupcake-y kind of event coming your way.

For me, after this kind of weekend, I'm not sure any other kind of blogging gathering will suffice.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
A huge thank you to Heather, Steph and all of the chicks who had to clean up that house as I rushed off to the airport to catch my plane. I'll pay you back at the West Coast gathering.

And really, I'm planning on spearheading a West Coast "Cupcake" effort. And I'm taking ideas for what we should call the gathering. Wanna come?