Friday, December 03, 2010

IT IS GOOD TO PAUSE IN OUR PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS AND JUST BE HAPPY

IT IS GOOD TO PAUSE IN OUR PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS AND JUST BE HAPPY

If there were a set of rules for successful blogging, I have broken them all.

Posting once a month just doesn't cut it.

I am done school now. Life is winding down and I finally have some time to think and reflect again. I've been reading a lot, writing a lot...and feeling a lot. I've been immersed in an internal struggle where I feel like I have withdrawn from expressing what's important to me. I've been filtering in fear of reaction. I realized today that just because you put it out there, doesn't mean everyone cares. We all have our own crap going on. My hope is that being real and posting about this challenge I'm facing will help someone, connect someone or just give someone some comfort in knowing that they are not the only one feeling this way...and that someone could be me ;)

It always seems like I get mushy during this time of year. Reflection is high and the way I've treated myself, the world and the people around me over the course of the year starts to become glaringly apparent. I always seek the measuring stick. How much further along am I than I was at this time last year? What have I accomplished over the course of 365 days? What experiences did I have? Were they amazing or just kind of? What has changed? What has stayed the same? What bad habits did I fall into and what one's did I break? What did I push myself to do and what do I wish I would have done more of? How many days was I the version of myself that I love and how many days was I the version of myself that I hate? Did I get everything done that I set out to do? Did I progress?

I can drive myself nuts with these questions because no matter what I've done, I always feel like I didn't do enough. I am starting to wonder if this is just the way I am. Am I wired to never be satisfied? Am I always going to be the type of person who can't accept the way things are? Will I always be left wanting more? I am really good at pretending that everything is awesome, but I have always been the type to have a lot going on in my mind. In fact, right now I am feeling a lot of resistance to not put these thoughts out in the open and to just keep pretending.

I found a quote that really resonated with me:

"It is good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy"

This hit me hard. I am always pursuing happiness, often appearing happy, yet having come face to face with true happiness only a handful of times in my life. And that is simply because I am usually living in the yesterday or tomorrow. The NOW is very difficult for me to absorb.

I feel like I am on the verge of something amazing. I feel it starting to bubble in my veins. I feel like the laws of attraction are leading me towards something really profound. I feel like my inner magnetic life force gages -yes, you have them too- are pointing me in a direction that is authentic, pure, disciplined, energetic and engaged. I am on the verge of something amazing. I can just feel it. Whether it's an opportunity, a realization, a discovery or a burst of momentum, I know it's right around the corner. I also know that it is up to me to help in it's creation...

I have been making a list of all the things I want to rid my life of...and on the contrary, all of the things that I want to fill it up more with. I have noticed some patterns and distractions that are taking my focus away from where it should be. I have noticed excuses, negative thoughts and obligations starting to play a dictating role in my existance. I have caught a glimmer of myself moving in a direction that is not who I want to become. And it scares the sh*t out of me.

I've been asking myself the question: Is it easier to become lazy, negative, complacent and driven by fear than it is to be positive, proactive, engaged and excited about challenge? Sloth-like is the only way I can describe the recent turn of events in my mind.

I am letting my worries about finances, fitness, esteem, belonging and purpose be too powerful. They are driving me. I've got to take back the steering wheel. I've got to buckle down and start the difficult process of re-creation.

I want abundance. I want to make impact. I want to experience high fives and cheers when I go to bed rather than the excuses and guilt. I want to follow my path with determination, with certainty and with pure joy. No more of this "I'm only half here. I wish..." bullshit.

This post was difficult for me to write, but it's what I'm experiencing and I thought it was important to share. I've read a lot of posts, blogs and books lately that have led me to believe that many others are in this same position of needing a push, a wake up call and some momentum. Can we work together??

No more putting things off. No more procrastination. No more looking in the mirror and dissecting. No more wondering if I am good enough. No more mis-use of time. No more giving too much attention to the things that aren't important. No more "I should have". No more distractions. No more excuses. No more I will do it tomorrows. No more I wish it were yesterdays.

This starts NOW.

Coming over the next few months will be a lot of...new. Newness in perspective, newness in attitude and newness in pursuits.

Welcome to my NEW journey...I feel inspired already!

Love Kyle

ps- please comment if this post resonates with you. I want to create a community for myself and others to feel momentum and start taking back control of their thoughts, actions and life!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

HALL OF FAME

HALL OF FAME

Tonight I am being inducted into Canada's Sports Hall Of Fame.

What a tremendous honour.

All I want to say on this blog today is this:

Thank you.

Thank you to everyone who supported me, who believed in me and who was a part of the amazing adventure.

Tonight is about you as much as it is about me. Without you, none of it would have been possible.

I am so excited about tonight that I can hardly contain myself! I am going to celebrate and smile until my cheeks hurt.

Tonight's gonna be a good night.

Kyle

THANK YOU GYMNASTICS CANADA

THANK YOU GYMNASTICS CANADA

Gymnastics Canada Gymnastique came out with this awesome release today that totally made me tear up. Thanks for all of the kind words!

www.gymcan.org

Kyle Shewfelt takes his place in the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame

Posted Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Kyle Shewfelt,who blazed a trail from the Altadore gymnastics club in Calgary to an historic Olympic gold medal in Athens, Greece, will reach another pinnacle of success on Wednesday, November 10th, with his formal induction into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame.

A little more than two years after his last competition at the 2008 Beijing Olympics Shewfelt will join a star-studded group of five other athletes and two builders at the Hall of Fame ceremony in Calgary.

Joining Kyle in the class of 2010 are hockey star Patrick Roy, race car driver Jacques Villeneuve, wheelchair racer Chantal Petitclerc, speedskater Clara Hughes, freestyle skier Jean-Luc Brassard, Dr. Roger Jackson, a key figure in the Olympic movement as both an athlete and administrator and the late football legend Bob Ackles.

“Kyle Shewfelt is the best and most successful artistic gymnast ever produced in Canada,” says Gymnastics Canada President and CEO, Jean-Paul Caron. “He is a unique and remarkable ambassador for Canada and the sport of gymnastics and an exceptional role model for our upcoming generation of champions.”

Shewfelt began his record-breaking gymnastics career in 1988 as a six-year-old bundle of energy who immediately fell in love with the sport that would become a driving force in his life for the next 20 years.

Kyle got his first taste of international competition in Austria and Hungary in 1996 and by the late 1990s was beginning to make his mark on the international scene.

Following his 12th place finish on floor at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Kyle’s career took off. Among the highlights were two gold and one silver medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, two bronze medals at the 2003 world championships, and three gold and two silver on the World Cup circuit leading up to the 2004 Olympics.

Kyle reached for the stars at the Athens Olympics on a hot summer night in 2004 and came away with Canada’s first ever Olympic medal in artistic gymnastics, winning gold in the men’s floor exercise.

Making his Olympic victory all the more remarkable was the fact that Kyle had suffered a serious injury to his left foot just a few months before the Games. The setback, which caused his withdrawal from the 2004 Canadian championships, did not deter him from delivering a flawless performance in Athens.

Kyle also came close to winning a second medal in Athens in the vault final but had to settle for fourth after a controversial judging decision kept him off the podium.

After taking a year off following the Games, Kyle made a triumphant return to competition at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, leading the men’s squad to gold in the team event, and adding another gold on vault and bronze on floor.

By then, Kyle Shewfelt’s legacy was already building as the only Canadian artistic gymnast to win a medal of any kind at the Olympics, a glittering achievment that put Canada on the map in the gymnastics world in a way that it had never known before and sparked a new era in Canadian gymnastics.

Soon after Kyle’s thrilling performance at the 2004 Olympics, other Canadian gymnasts made their own international breakthroughs: Brandon O’Neill won silver on floor at the 2005 world championships, joining Kyle, Curtis Hibbert and Alexander Jeltkov as the only Canadian men to win world championship medals.

In 2006, Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs, inspired by Kyle like every other member of the national team, became the first, and so far, only Canadian female gymnast to win a world championship medal, earning bronze on the balance beam.

At the same world championships in Arhus, Denmark, Kyle led the Canadian men’s team to its best ever finish -- reaching the final for the first time and ultimately placing sixth among the superpowers of the sport, including Russia, China, Japan and the United States.

The stage appeared to be set for Kyle’s dramatic return to the Olympics in 2008 to defend his crown in the floor exercise.

But disaster struck at the 2007 world championships in Stuttgart, Germany when he broke both knees just days before the start of competition in a routine practice session.

Following a long and difficult recovery, Kyle returned to competition nine months later at the Olympic team selection trials and picked up right where he left off almost a year before.

He won all four test events on vault and placed either first or second in all of the floor competitions to earn his third trip to the Olympic Games.

With steely resolve and total commitment, Kyle had overcome the greatest obstacle he had ever faced as a gymnast and seemed on the verge of capping his miracle comeback with another Olympic medal in Beijing.

At the Beijing Games, Kyle performed a routine even more difficult that the one he nailed in Athens four years earlier, but it wasn’t enough to get him into the eight-man final in the eyes of the judges.

He also came close to making the vault final, but had to settle for ninth, just one spot out of the top-eight he needed to advance.

Not long after seeing his results go up on the scoreboard, Kyle, looking no different than he did the night he won gold four years earlier, faced the media in the crowded mixed zone of Beijing’s gigantic Indoor Stadium and explained what mattered most in his extraordinary comeback was the journey and not the end result.

"Every day I had laid in bed and imagined myself competing at the Olympics," said Kyle, his eyes a little wet. "And today I did, and it was beautiful.

“I've had to search for little victories every single day. You don't get that from winning a medal. Eleven months ago I was given this challenge that seemed impossible. And today I was out there competing in the Olympic Games, representing Canada, and being part of an incredible team. I can only smile.”

Since retiring Kyle has remained active on the Canadian gymnastics scene as a commentator for CBC broadcasts and as a roving ambassador and spokesperson for Gymnastics Canada.

Gymnastics Canada salutes Kyle for his tremendous contribution to gymnastics and his selection to the Sports Hall of Fame.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Limits

This past weekend I raced in my final 10K of the 2010 season. I came face to face with my limit.

I started running this year as a way to escape and challenge myself. I needed an outlet and something to help me reduce the speed at which my brain circles thoughts. - on a quick side note, I have come to the conclusion that this is just the way I am and in order to stay sane, I must accept the fact that my brain doesn't stop. It's just a part of my reality. Anyway, I have found that running helps me resolve issues, make plans, get a clearer state of mind and become more effective and efficient in my non-running life. It has become a source of comfort as well and a pretty positive "go-to" when I feel like things are spinning out of control and I am going to lose my mind.

I ran my first 10K race ever at the beginning of May. I was pretty new to the scene and didn't really know what to expect. I asked my friend and fellow Canadian Olympic Champion, Simon Whitfield, what a good 10K time was. He said something crazy like '32 minutes'. So I had to ask him again about what a good 10K time for a "recently retired ex-gymnast running newbie who broke both of his legs" was. He said 39 mins. Damn Simon and his high running standards. So I took what he said and I thought that I would aim for under an hour. Under Promise and Over Deliver is a great technique to keep yourself and the people around you happy!

I ran the race and started out slow. I didn't want to lose steam as I hadn't actually ran a full 10K distance yet. I wanted to save something for the end. The race made me fall in love with the chase. I liked picking people out of the crowd and chasing them down. I like passing people. I liked pacing with someone for a while, watching them fade and then have a burst of energy and leave them in my dust. During the last 3K of the race, I had tons of reserves. I was picking up speed and running almost twice as fast as I started out. The last Km was intense and I was in a foot race with some dude who at the end, in the final moments before the finish line, ended up staring at my finishing kick. I felt like a champ. I felt a huge sense of victory and accomplishment. I felt so proud of myself that I ran a whole 10K and didn't die.

After the race my legs were jello for a good 10 minutes. I walked it out, stretched it out, but I knew that I would be feeling the after affects of that final push for the next week. But I knew that I was hooked and I couldn't wait to look in the paper the next day and see my name and my time. As it turns out, I came in just around 49:00 mins. I had surpassed my goal. Destroyed it in fact. And now I had a gage of where I stood. I knew that I could improve on 49:00 mins.

I trained for another race at the beginning of July. At this race I felt like I had a better sense of what 10K would feel like and I was also looking forward to the adrenaline rush that I knew would come as I would pick my victims and pass them!

I made a couple of critical mistakes during this race. First, I didn't wear a watch so I didn't really know where I was at in terms of time. Secondly, I went out WAY too fast. The first 5K were fine. I felt like they flew by and that's probably because they did. I was motoring. In the lead was my buddy Devon Kershaw, Olympic cross country skier, and he was f.a.s.t., but he also has legs that are 3 times the size of mine so I wouldn't expect anything less! I went out too fast and I started to fade between 5K and 6K and then I felt like my legs were smashing into the concrete for the next 3K. It was painful, but I kept pushing. I was chasing my previous 49:00 and I knew that I was on pace to beating it. I didn't have a visual, but inside I had a feeling. I turned it on in the last kilometre and sprinted my heart out. I knew that there was a Stampede breakfast waiting for me at the finish line and I didn't want to look back and have a regret that I could have pushed myself more. I was surprised at how much I had left at the end of the race. I was impressed that I finished so strong, but I was disappointed that I could have pushed harder. My time was just over 46:00. I was happy, but I was mad at myself that I struggled so much from 5K-9K. But I got over it quick and enjoyed some delicious pancakes as my reward.

My last race was this past weekend and it had special meaning because it was a fundraiser for Alzheimers and Dimentia, which has taken a lot of my grandma away in the past few years. Very sad. But it was good motivation! I also convinced Kristin and a big group of our friends to sign up too so we had a huge gang of runners.

The gun went off and I was ready. I trained hard over the summer. I had the nerves and I had a plan. I wore a watch and my goal was to beat my July time. I wanted to end off the season with a PB! I planned to run 4:00-4:30 Km's for as long as I could and then find something crazy inside of myself to keep on pushing. At the one Km mark I looked at my watch. 4:00. Good. At the next Km I looked again (I've become that watch glancing runner that I used to laugh at!) and I was on the same pace. Sweet! I did this for 2 more Km's and then I got a rude awakening. I hadn't trained hard enough for this and you can't expect miracles on race day. I dropped to 4:45 Km's. At the half way point there was a turn around and this gave me a much needed energy injection. I got to high five all of my friends as I ran past and they inspired me to keep pushing. I kept telling myself, "You can do this. You are more than half way there. How bad do you want it?!". I was like a friggin' Nike commercial, live and in person.

Kilometre #8 kicked my ass. I didn't know how my legs were going to keep moving, but I told them to keep going and keep going quickly. And then, I came face to face with my inner deamons.

There was a voice inside of my head that kept telling me to walk. It wanted me to walk so badly. It was screaming in agony. It was finding excuses left, right and centre. But then there was the voice that said, "Kyle, this race is a reflection of your life. This is simply a struggle. Enjoy it. Pay attention to the way you feel because right now you are facing a crossroads. You can give up if you want. You will still survive. But will you respect yourself?".

It was one of those emotional and raw moments that we don't often get to experience in our lifetimes.

I kept pushing and listening to the battle going on in my head. But I was determined to suck every ounce of anything I had left in myself, my mind and my muscles in order to get my fastest time possible.

I ran across the line, lungs almost exploding, legs aching, at 43:08. My new 10K PB! And all I felt, besides cramping in my legs, was satsifaction. This was real. This was me. This was a test and I passed. I could not have gone a millisecond faster. At this point in my running career, 43:08 is my absolute limit and I say that with full confidence. There was nothing left in the tank. I left it all out on the course.

Pushing through the struggle and coming out on the other side is where the reward lies. The struggle is where we learn and grow. The struggle is where we find our new thresholds. The struggle is where we learn what we are capable of. The struggle, simply put, is a pretty beautiful thing. I hate it when I'm in it, but I love it when I look back on it and know that I persevered.

Running has been an incredible addition to my life and I am looking forward to next season where I will push for a new 10K PB! Can I go under 40:00 mins? I also have plans of taking on a couple of new physical challenges next year: 1. Complete my first half marathon and 2. Compete in my first triathlon. I better get training!

Until next time: Push it. Push it good. Push it real good,



Kyle


Wednesday, September 29, 2010

LOOK AT THOSE SPLITS!

LOOK AT THOSE SPLITS!

I have been putting together a lot of archives for my induction to Canada's Sports Hall of Fame and I came across this picture. I still remember when I got that blue singlet for my birthday from my Auntie Cheryl and Uncle Glenn!


Nice Splits! Toes could have been a little more pointed though... ;)

It's always fun when you get a blast from the past. It's good to get reminders of where you came from.

More updates to come soon,

Kyle

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Balance

Life is beautifully busy at the moment, but balance is something that I am struggling to maintain.

I started University again 2 weeks ago and it has added an amazing amount of items to my already long "things to do" list. One thing that I realized very quickly after starting school was that I had managed to make time in my schedule for 'class time', but I didn't really consider the amount of time I would have to spend on projects outside of class. HA! Stupid me.

This University experience, at the ripe age of 28, has been a little bit of a rude awakening. On one hand, I am totally enjoying my classes and I can feel my brain growing (seriously, I felt the right side of my brain pulsing the other day). I like my classmates and I enjoy the consistency that school provides for my schedule. I also really love having a list of tasks with due dates and crossing them off. But on the other hand, I hate the fact that I feel like I have lost a sense of balance in my life.

I've realized in this first couple of weeks that I need to fit in some exercise everyday. Moving my body should not take the back seat to a paper or a project or an email. I've realized that if I don't get to spend a little bit of quality time with Kristin then I feel lost. I've realized that I have to be super efficient with my meetings, phone calls and emails or I end up wasting a lot of time. I've realized that I have to have a written master list of everything that needs to get done or the list will keep circling around and around in my head. I've realized that I need to have my meals pre-planned or I forget to eat. I've realized that I get a sense of power when I get things done before deadlines and that I need to know the requirements of a project inside and out before I start to tackle it, otherwise I get really frustrated and overwhelmed and end up doing a half assed job. I've realized that I need to be on the ball and have all of my notes, notebooks, project plans, meeting plans and to-do lists mapped out and ready for the next day before I go to bed or I can't sleep.

Sometimes I have questioned my decision to go back to school. I hear a little voice in my head that asks, "You're actually paying money to have this amount of stress?" But I know that there is a reason why I registered. That reason is: I want to keep progressing. I don't want to feel stuck. I want to gain some really applicable skills. I want to further my broadcasting and business careers and nothing is going to be handed to me on a silver platter. I need to earn everything that comes next. And doing this is going to get me ahead. It is going to give me a sense of accomplishment. It is going to give me a sense of purpose.

This past spring, when I decided to go back to school, I came to a very clear conclusion in my life. That conclusion was: I don't want to sit around and wait for my life to unfold. I am not satisfied with being where I'm at. I want more. I want to start gaining confidence and security in being good at something other than gymnastics. Being an Olympic Champion is not who I am. It is something that I've done. And I am not going to live a fulfilling life if I continue to believe that riding on those coat tails will make me feel alive. Because, quite frankly, it doesn't. I am ready to take some risk. I want to become more and it's not going to happen unless I make it happen.

I have to keep reminding myself that going back to school is the right thing. I know deep down that it is. I just have to be aware and make sure that I pay close attention to maintaining a balance in my life. That is going to be the key!


Kyle


Thursday, September 09, 2010

What made me different?

I am in the process of putting together my book which has been an awesome and brain spinning adventure! I am also going to be doing some mentoring with the Canadian gymnastics team in the lead up to Worlds, Commonwealth Games and ultimately the Olympics. All of these projects have got me searching back into my past. I have been on a mission to figure out why exactly I was the one who was able to win Canada's first medal at the Olympic Games in gymnastics...besides having an amazing support team around me, of course!

I wrote this today and I wanted to share:


What were some of the factors that I feel made a significant contribution to my success in sport?:

1. Attention to detail. Every detail mattered. I did my corner parts 100 times a day sometimes just to make sure they were perfect.

2. Planning. I had a plan. I trusted the plan. I committed to the plan. Each and every day. If I didn't know what was coming then I couldn't prepare for it and I hated that.

3. Professionalism. I was in the gym for a reason. I had a mission to accomplish. Get in, get your work done well and leave knowing that you did what you needed to do. I didn't play around too much. I was focused, but still able to laugh.

4. I listened to my body and my mind. I knew that I couldn't push myself too far past the point of comfort every day. I had to do it in small increments so that I could adapt. I took my time and didn't rush. One bad decision on a bad day can lead to injury and frustration that doesn't need to be there. It's ok to have a bad day as long as you come back ready to redeem yourself the next day.

5. I journaled. I wrote and wrote and wrote. I held myself accountable. Each day, especially close to a big competition, was an important day.

6. I had very clear and specific goals. I knew what I expected from myself on each skill in each routine. I set outcome goals (win medals), but I also set performance goals (stick dismount, legs together on Def etc). I knew that I couldn't control the outcomes, but I knew that I could control my performance. I wrote these goals down.

7. I had super open communication. I wasn't afraid to voice a concern, to ask a question, ask for help or to look someone in the eye. I wanted all of the people around me to be on the same page. Support is super essential to success.

8. I had a very high expectation of myself. Good enough wasn't good enough. I tried to hold myself to the highest standards of excellence.

9. I took time to be out of competition/routine shape and to not be super serious and I did this at the right time of year. I knew that being in amazing shape in January would have me burnt out by June. I maintained decent shape and turned it on and became serious about 3 months before the big meet. All of the best guys in the world do this. During my "squishy/chubby" phase of the year I would go out and have fun with friends, drink beers and eat a little unhealthy (not overboard), but I would put myself in a sort of personal lock down during "big meet" preparation (this meant 1 beer on Friday nights, an early bedtime and only the best fuel in my body).

10. I knew my strengths and my weaknesses. I spent more time building/creating my strengths and maintaining/perfecting my weaknesses. Let's face it, I was never a rings guy and no matter how hard I tried, I wasn't capable of maltese. So, in the end, it was better for myself and the team to focus on perfecting an easy routine on that event. This also prevented me from getting too huge in my upper body so that my floor and vault suffered (HA!).

11. Safety first. I always made sure I was in a safe environment. I even had a mat in when I broke my legs (freak accident).

12. I put myself in Pressure Situations before the REAL pressure situations. I tried to recreate the sense of competition pressure before a routine in training. Never quite the same, but close.

13. I learned how to compete. Knowing how to turn it on when the green light comes on is a whole different experience than doing routines in training. There are 'athletes' and then there are 'competitors'. I was a competitor. I kind of liken it to being a warrior and competition was the battle field. I was different on competition day and I had to learn how to control all of the EXTRA stuff (adrenaline, nerves, energy, negative thoughts) that came on that day.

14. Consistency and confidence were very important to me. I wanted to know that I could hit a routine anytime, anyplace, anywhere. It took time to build to this consistent state, but I put the effort in to make sure I got there. Sometimes it was better to leave something out if it wasn't consistent and to do a routine that I knew I could hit.

15. I always felt a sense of social responsibility. I wanted to represent myself, my family, my club, GCG, the Country, etc, with the utmost of pride and integrity. I knew that there was a new generation of gymnasts looking up to me and I wanted to set a good example. This kept me on track because I knew that there was always someone looking and more importantly, following.

16. Innovation and creativity were important factors to my success. I tried to do things differently so that I would get noticed. I strongly believe that my signature full twisting dive to prone on floor was something that made me stand out. When you want to win you have to do something different than everyone else. Think outside the box. The little things DID make the big difference in my career.

17. I wanted it. I told people that I wanted it. I acted like I wanted it. Being successful and achieving my gymnastic goals was my everything. It is important to have that sense of obsession. Your sport needs to become your lifestyle.
Side note: I now struggle with the after affects of that single minded focus because when something is your 'everything' then it takes a long time to figure out what your next obsession is.

18. I believed that greatness was possible. I believed that I could be one of the best in the world. I believed that I could be an Olympic Champion and I held myself to that standard. You train differently when you are shooting for GOLD rather than SILVER or 15th. You ask more of yourself. But that drive and hunger can only come from within because as soon as someone pushes you to that standard then you start to resist. You have to believe deep down that it is possible.




So there's a little bit of wisdom and insight for ya! I hope that one of these factors has sparked something inside of you and has you inspired you to include it into your regime; whether it's in sport or related to something else in your life. Writing this today definitely opened my eyes. I realized that I need to start applying my own rules to the various *new* areas of my life if I want to continue performing at a high level.

Powerful.



Kyle

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

And the winner of the 2012 Olympic All-Around title in Womens Artistic Gymnastics is...

This might be a bold prediction, but I believe that THIS will be the 2012 All-Around Olympic Champion in Women's Artistic Gymnastics.



Her name is Viktoria Komova and she is already establishing herself as the one to beat. She has amazing difficulty, incredible lines and an impressive competitive spirit. Sometimes you can watch a younger gymnast and you just know that they are destined for greatness...Viktoria, in my eyes, is on the verge of brilliance.

She is poised, calm and can deliver amazing routines in pressure situations. She is the Junior European Champion and has been dominating the Youth Olympic Games this week. In fact, she could run away with 5 Gold medals. Very impressive.

What sets Viktoria apart from her competitors is her presence, her precision and her difficulty. She doesn't have a weak event. What's most impressive to me is how she makes her routines look easy...and believe me, they are NOT! But that is the sign of a well trained and prepared athlete. They come in to competition and everything comes together at just the right moment. It takes years to get to this point and at 15, Viktoria already has IT!

In my opinion, gymnastics has been missing a star since the 2008 Games. Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson had personality and presence, but since their hiatus from International competition, gymnastics, especially on the women's side, has seemed a little bit boring (of course neither of them has officially retired and both are alluding to "comebacks", but all I'll say is that I know how the marketing game works...). Luckily for the world of gymnastics, Viktoria Komova seems like she can be the star that the sport so desperately needs. I'm very drawn to her and I want to see her do well. I want to watch her routines over and over because they are unique and impeccable. I want to see her succeed and my heart breaks for her when she crashes (which is very rare). She is captivating and I like it!

I'm excited to see the progression of this athlete and I am really looking forward to 2011 when she is age eligible to compete against all the best seniors in the world!

And of course, I am excited to commentate on her winning the Olympic title in 2012 and proving that I can indeed predict the future!

Kyle



Monday, August 09, 2010

Sport At It's Best

My friend Duff Gibson has a great blog called Sport At It's Best.

I did an interview with him back in January and he posted a clip this week.

Check it out!


Kyle

Saturday, August 07, 2010

Breaking in the new pad

Last night we tied one on at my newly renovated pad! It was so fun. My neighbours probably didn't appreciate the singing, dancing and howling laughter at 2am, but all I can say is that they were more than welcome to join!

It's funny how a place gets a little more character once you've have a good bash. You walk around the day after and it feels like a home. It feels comfier and more alive. It's almost as if the 'good times' are absorbed into the walls and now they are sending off super positive vibes.

Weirdly enough, it felt pretty awesome to spend some time cleaning up my place yesterday before friends arrived (this morning the clean up wasn't quite as fun!). I have so much space to put things. Nothing has to be left out and there is NO CLUTTER! It's sleek, streamlined and feels exactly the way I had hoped.

To anyone thinking of reinventing their space to make it more livable and lovable, I say DO IT! The first party you host will make it feel totally worth it!


Cheers!


Kyle

Thursday, July 29, 2010

My Garden is Growing!!

I went to water the good ol' garden today and to pick some delicious lettuce for dinner. Much to my surprise, it's really starting to sprout! It rained here and made everything super lush. I love nature.

The cutest thing was definitely the weencie green pepper. Mmmmmm. It's gonna be gooooood! Am I a weirdo for getting so excited over a baby green pepper? Meh, life is only as exciting as you decide it's gonna be!









Kyle

Monday, July 26, 2010

Secret Friends

I spoke at an event on Saturday night in Olds, Alberta called 4H Club Week. 4H is an incredible organization that supports youth leadership and who's aim is to build stronger communities. Club Week is the time when members of different 4H clubs from around the world (there were Albertans, Canadians, Americans and even two girls from Taiwan and Korea) get together to share ideas, grow and learn.

I was very impressed with the calibre of individuals that were involved in the event. I have never in my life met such a positive, enthusiastic, respectful and polite group of 16-18 year olds. They all had self-confidence, compassion and amazing communication skills. It was really fun for me to chat with the various members and to gain some insight into the weeks happenings.

The week was jam packed full of awesome activities and everyone seemed to have pushed themselves out of their comfort zones quite a bit! Everyone said that by the end of the week they felt like their groups had become families and you could tell that the camaraderie was strong. There was an energy and comfort in the room that was very inviting.

One of the activities that was part of the program was something called "Secret Friends". At the beginning of the week they drew a random name from a "hat" and for the remainder of the week it was their job to get to know that person and to make them feel amazing. Basically random acts of kindness. I loved the idea and when I went up to speak I joked about how I wanted a secret friend too!

My talk went great. The theme was "Beyond the Horizon". I touched on how we sometimes place horizons on ourselves and how we sometimes have horizons placed on us. I talked about how horizons are comfortable because you can see them, but what is beyond the horizon? How can we find the courage and the strength inside of ourselves to push beyond the horizons in ours lives.

One example that I used was how a Canadian had never won a medal at the Olympics in the sport of gymnastics. That was the horizon. No one could see beyond that. But I could. And I believed it was possible. And I committed myself to training like an Olympic Champion. That meant that I needed to be more focused, more dedicated and more detail oriented than anyone before me. And when it happened in 2004, it opened the eyes of the entire Canadian team. It was now possible.

I talked about being a pioneer and doing something historic. What do you want to do that no one has ever done before?

I also talked about another horizon in my life. My "only medals matter" horizon and how I started to create that with in myself, especially after Athens. I started to define myself based on my accomplishments and I started to lose perspective. Training and competition started to become about outcomes and obligation and I wasn't chasing a dream with the same passion and pursuit that I had been before my ultimate dream came true. I talked about how my injury in Stuttgart really woke me up and reminded me that the journey is much more important than the outcome. What's really important is committing to excellence and having the guts to aim for your maximum potential. Because that's where you'll get the most out of yourself. And at the end of the day, if you can look back and know that, regardless of the outcome, you feel like you were at YOUR absolute best, then that's the definition of victory. So aim high and be courageous enough to commit to excellence, every single day.

Inspiring?

I thought so. And I think some of my new friends agreed.

When the event was done and I had met most of the gang - and did a backflip and handstand on the dance floor...oh, and also got the most amazing farewell GIANT group hug ever!!!! 150 people big. That was super special - I walked out to my car and put my medal in it's special velvet bag.

Inside the bag was a note.

It was folded up and on the outside it read:

Love: your secret friends @ club week

Inside it read:

Dear Kyle Shewfelt,

Thank you so much for your speech today. It was an honour to sit with you and I will remember it always. The moment I get back to Lethbridge I am going to brag about this experience to all of my friends. Again, thank you so much. Your speech brought tears to my eyes (Olympics do that to me:))

Thanks for the honour,
Your Secret Friend


Dear Kyle,

You are such an amazing person. We were very honoured to have you speak at our banquet. I hope you had a great time with us. You were very inspirational.

Thank you again,

Your secret friend.


Dear Kyle,

It was an honour to sit by you - your speech was truly inspirational and I am totally star struck. I hope you can take your speaking career to outstanding heights. Thank you!

- Your other secret friend
ps- It gave me chills to hold your medal first.



And that folks, right there, is the reason I do what I do. This is why I LOVE speaking. It makes me happy to know that I have affected others in a positive way and hopefully sparked something inside of them to help them along in their journey.

Thanks to my "secret friends" for taking the time to make me a gift. It meant a lot and had me smiling the whole drive home.

One comment really made me shiver. The, "I hope you can take your speaking career to outstanding heights" one. Wow. That's it. That's where I want to go with this. I want to go to OUTSTANDING heights.

I have never been more ready.


Kyle


Thursday, July 22, 2010

Before and After

BEFORE:


AFTER:


Which do you like more??!!

I think the winner is quite obvious!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am pleased to announce...

The Kitchen is complete!

No more mirror backsplash. No more crappy laminate counter tops. No more leaky faucets. No more dark and dingy black appliances. No more Maple shaker cabinets.

Bring on the Pure White Quartz! Bring on the under cabinet lighting! Bring on the high gloss white uppers! Bring on the walnut lowers! Bring on the glass tile backsplash. Bring on the wine boxes and floating shelf! Bring on the stainless steel appliances! Bring on the shine, bring on the bling, bring on the sexy and bring on the awesomeness!

I AM IN LOVE WITH MY NEW KITCHEN!



Kyle




Monday, July 19, 2010

Do these make you have to pee?

When I would get drug tested I would sometimes have the "observer" turn on the faucets so I could feel the urge. It's never easy to whiz when someone is staring at your junk...

Reno update: Faucets are in and plumbing is hooked up. Project
reno is nearly complete!










Oh, and I forgot to post these pics of the tile last week when it came on Thursday.



Can you say SPA?

The list of 'things to do' is slowly dwindling down. I love crossing things off...especially in sharpie!

This is the time in a renovation where it's very important to stay focused and pay attention to the small details. It's very easy to do jobs half assed because everything is now almost livable, but in order to have an AMAZING finished product, I need to continue keeping the standard high.

But, I must admit, I am SO looking forward to the day (soon) when I can just sit back, relax and enjoy my new home without looking around and seeing paint cans, drop cloths, drills, boxes, wrenches and random screws laying around everywhere. And this will be the time when I'm really going to focus in on my professional career and organize/complete all of the awesome projects that are on the verge of becoming real.

Off to wash my hands (I've done it 20 times today, just because I can!),

Kyle

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Playground to Podium Event

It was a cold and rainy day in Calgary, but we pushed through and made the event a HUGE success! More than $20,000 was raised for Kidsport!

It was so fun to spend time with my friends and fellow athletes and to share some laughs with corporate sponsors.

I was teamed with one of my favourite companies, Cenovus. I did some work with them at the 2010 Games and they are an incredible group of people.

Congrats to Agenda Sport Marketing on a very successful event!

Article Courtesy of Metro Calgary


Olympic athletes help KidSport go for gold

KATIE TURNER/FOR METRO CALGARY

Olympic gymnast Kyle Shewfelt shows off his medal to Rory Leach, 10, yesterday.

KATIE TURNER
METRO CALGARY
July 14, 2010 5:37 a.m.
Text size
Many of Canada’s most beloved athletes were joined by some young Calgary fans yesterday during KidSport’s Playground to Podium fundraising event.

Jon Montgomery, Denny Morrison and Maƫlle Ricker were among more than 15 Olympians who came out to show support for the organization at the Bridgeland/Riverside Community Centre.

“I think as athletes, we all recognize just how powerful sport has been for our lives,” said Olympic speed skater Kristina Groves.

Gymnast Kyle Shewfelt said KidSport provides the funds to register for sports for kids who might not otherwise be able to play.

“The reality is there’s a lot of children who could be amazing at sport and could get a lot of joy and learn a lot from it but can’t afford to get involved in it,” he said. “I think it should be accessible to everybody and KidSport is there to help.”