More Than the Olympics

I just spent the last two weeks immersed in the winter Olympics, and it was every bit as wonderful as every other time I’ve watched. Since I was a little girl—tuning in for the Olympic gymnasts (I also wanted to be one!)—I’ve loved the games. The stories of the athletes, the amazing performances they put on, and the way they overcome so much, both personally and mentally, are just some of the things I love about watching.

And I think, at its core, I love it because it reminds me what people are capable of when they don’t quit.

I’ve never made watching the Olympics a big production for everyone else. My children know I love it and that it will be on the TV, and most years they’ll come sit and watch at some point. My husband will tune in with me too. He doesn’t quite share my extroverted enthusiasm for the games, but he enjoys watching just the same.

Now that my children are older, they love to tease me about how much I love it. But even in the teasing, they still sit and watch with me—and they’ve even bought me USA gear to wear while the games are on. It’s always nice to be accepted for the things we love. 🙂

This year felt a little different. I made an appetizer for the opening ceremonies (something I’ve never thought to do before!), and I watched with my husband and daughter. And somehow, the timing of everything allowed me to watch more during the day too.

For two weeks, the TV was on from morning to night—which never happens—and I let myself slow down and enjoy it. Yes, things still got done around the house… but maybe not quite the way they would if the Olympics weren’t on. 😉

I don’t know why, but the background stories about the athletes are always my favorite part. This year, I was amazed to learn about a snowboarder who was just seven months postpartum and competing. Amazing. I was so proud of her—representing mothers—and immediately found myself wondering how she balanced training with motherhood.

For a second, I felt that familiar tug we feel as mothers—the one that asks, “Should she be doing this right now?”

And then just as quickly, I felt something else… admiration. Freedom, even.

A reminder that motherhood doesn’t erase who we are—it expands it.

I know I wouldn’t have been able to get myself together seven months after having a baby to do something like that. And I’m sure some people would judge her for pursuing something for herself while having a baby. But I found it deeply inspiring. It reminded me that just because I am a mother doesn’t mean I can’t have something I’m striving for too.

These games always make me look at my own life a little differently.

Where am I settling?

Where could I be more disciplined?

How can I bring more joy into the everyday things?

Not because I need to become an Olympian—but because I don’t want to sleepwalk through my own life.

Another favorite part of these games was watching athletes competing in their 40s. Athletes who are still showing up, still training, still pushing themselves at a high level.

We quietly start to believe there’s an expiration date on becoming stronger, braver, or starting something new. And yet… there they are, proving otherwise.

It’s a reminder that age isn’t what holds us back—our mindset is.

Maybe you didn’t watch a single event these past two weeks. Maybe the Olympics just aren’t your thing. But I don’t think what draws me in is really the sport—it’s the stories. The discipline. The resilience.

The reminder that ordinary people are capable of extraordinary things over time.

And that kind of story? That belongs to all of us.

Watching the Olympics always leaves me with the same quiet thought: maybe greatness isn’t reserved for a stage or a medal. Maybe it looks like showing up again tomorrow. Being a little more disciplined. A little more present. A little more willing to grow.

Maybe it looks a lot like the life we’re already living—just lived on purpose.

This for SURE was a highlight of these games too!!