February 5th, 2010

Every two years, I find myself bursting with excitement as the Olympics rolls around. It is such a thrill to watch the world’s best compete on the global stage and have nations come together in the name of sports regardless of their political views, religious beliefs or viewpoints on other global issues.

As a kid, I was active in sports and was captivated at a young age by the Olympics. For me, watching the Olympics made me want to become a top equestrian rider and it was then that my path towards one day achieving that dream began. I dedicated twelve years of my childhood and adolescence towards becoming the best equestrian I could be. That meant making sacrifices but it also meant having a clear goal that I could build my life and my schedule around. The more I competed, the better my grades became and the more focused I became. I traveled 32 weeks a year, lived on the road traveling the U.S. and Canada to competitions and learned an enormous amount of responsibility, humility and mental toughness. Although I did not make it to the Olympic team, that dedication and focus early on put my life on a path that helped me become who I am today.

As a parent, I often hear stories of other kids that were captivated by the Olympics at an early age which helped them to excel not only in their sports but in other areas of their life. Many kids that have a passion or a goal in mind report having better grades and their focus keeps them out of trouble. Sharing the Olympics with your kids and showing them that anything is possible with hard work and dedication is an invaluable way to build their confidence. I plan to watch the Olympics with my daughter and share with her the inspiration that it gave me to become the person I am today.

Please share your Olympic stories with me and how you plan to celebrate this occasion with your children.