Heather Bond - Competition and Compassion
Joining the World’s Toughest Race has allowed me to make such great soulful connections – Heather Bond being one of them.
Heather is an experienced adventure racer who has been through all facets of the sport.
And being a mom is another common denominator that we have. Heather was the perfect person I needed at my lowest point during that race.
Here are a few takeaways from our conversation:
1. Remind yourself of your awesomeness!
You've got to recognize that frustration is part of doing adventure races and you must own that. There’s sleep deprivation and all those variables, both physical and emotional, that can just drain you. And when you feel so fatigued and so out of it, the first person you're going to go after is yourself. So you just have to stop for a moment and realize you're awesome! And sometimes, having that support or someone who can remind you about that is just what you need – and Heather was that biggest positive light for me during that moment.
2. When everything is stripped from you, what’s left is raw humanity.
When Heather ended up in prison, she realized that no one is any higher, better, or different than anyone else. It was a humbling experience for her that also allowed her to form a soulful connection with a little girl she met in prison that changed her life forever.
3. Honor your child's growth.
It’s common for parents to sometimes wish for their children to follow their footsteps. But you have to honor your child’s growth. Honor who they are, what they are, and the things they love to do. Sometimes, you just have to let it go because they're their own person. In fact, this next generation is really more about authenticity and owning whatever they’re meant to do.
If you want to learn more about Heather’s stories of competition and compassion, check out the Tales of Toughness Podcast on https://gosonja.com/podcast and get access to more resources on my community https://www.patreon.com/GoSonja.