to quit more than ever but over the next few days and weeks , I continued to receive “ signs ” that showed me I needed to continue – for both myself and my Papa .
On November 9th , 2024 , I stepped on stage at the King Kong Classic in my first fitness competition ever . There were more than two rows of people who showed up to support me . My family made a poster with my dad ’ s name on it . My heart was full . I felt so much love and gratitude . During the show , as I stood on stage , I saw a man , who looked like my dad , sitting in the crowd , smiling at me and I knew that he was there with me .
Although I did not do as well as I wanted to , the victory for me truly was in the journey it took to get on stage . Without the journey , I would not be the person that I am today . Far from perfect , I have learned to aim to be just 1 % better than yesterday and through it all , I have gained confidence , resilience and learned to open my heart for myself and those around me . The truth is that some days the process is a walk in the park and other days , it absolutely sucks . However , you just need to trust that this is a process that you need , and you must keep showing up everyday .