Skating Fridays

Learning to Believe in Myself

I like to think of myself as a rah-rah cheerleader at competitions. I will go up to strangers and tell them how beautifully they performed and uplift their spirits. It’s not unusual for me to send motivational quotes to my skating friends the day before or the day of competition (particularly if I am not there in person). Telling others to believe in themselves is easy, but it’s not a cakewalk when it comes to following my own advice.

My skating sister S pinged me the other day and said that she’d read my free skate recap from the 2025 New Year’s Invitational. She noticed that the words I was using lacked self-confidence. I wrote that “somehow I ended up earning,” and it gave her the impression that I didn’t believe in myself. I guess I wasn’t being truthful, because I was actually feeling quite confident and had been skating well all season.

I replied back to S and told her she was right (no surprise there, as she knows me almost better than anyone). Even though I have been working hard all season, it was time that my score finally reflected the time and energy I had put into it. My hard work was paying off! But, my writing didn’t reflect that.

I made a mental note to speak more positively about myself, but I was lectured once more the following morning. I had my weekly skating lesson with my fabulous coach, who has been helping me prepare for my Junior Skating Skills test. She had me execute the outside rocker pattern, and I had every excuse in the book. I told her that I wasn’t doing them right, and that I was having difficultly getting onto the correct part of my blade after the turn.

My coach took a look, and she looked me right in the eye and said, “I’d pass those.” My jaw dropped. I said, “WHAT?” And my coach replied, “I’d pass those. Your edges are correct going in, and they’re correct going out. The turn is correct.” I was speechless.

A few minutes later, she gave me her Oscars speech. She told me that I was more capable that I think, and that I needed to believe in myself. I needed to be confident in my skating, because I am a better skater than I give myself credit for.

Hmm… sounds similar to what my friend S was alluding to. Jokingly, I called her out for being in cahoots with my coach.

Both S and my coach are right. I don’t exude self-confidence, and I’d like to think that it’s partially due to the way I was brought up. I was taught to be humble, and to never brag about myself. Oh – I made All-State Band? It’s only because we lived in a small state and didn’t have a lot of competition. Oh – I got this grade on a test? It’s only because…

No more excuses. I’ve put in the work and am ready to start reaping the rewards. I deserve to succeed because I want it so, so badly. Here’s to a new, and more self-confident me!

(PS – S, if you are reading this, thank you for always believing in me and for calling me out. I appreciate you!)

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