Many plans ago, I used to dance. I sure as hell wasn't the best, but I wasn't the worst either. One of my Jazz dance teachers, Chandra McCloud, had a theory. There was no "can't." You weren't allowed to say it. So I'd have to say, "A triple pirouette currently evades me," rather than, "I can't do a triple pirouette." It was a frustrating rule for sure, but it was ultimately good.
This is to preface the fact that earlier this evening, a teammate of mine said, "I can't." I'm in kind of a cranky mood, but I turned to her and said something along the lines of, "Can't doesn't exist here."
Really. I hear a lot of, "I can't," and "That's my bad side," and "I'll never be able to..." Well no, not with that attitude.
I didn't get to where I am today with those thoughts. I always thought, "Well I'll try it!" I kept trying turning toe stops, even though I fell on my face, until I got them. I worked on doing transitions until I forgot which set was my "bad side." I wish I'd had the benefit of instruction on hockey stops, I just threw myself into it until I stopped more often than I fell.
I've looked at a trainer or a top level skater and started to think, "Ehh...can I do that?" But if I start out with a "can't" attitude, I've pre-defeated myself.
I'm captain of the Charlotte Roller Girls All-Stars and I'm on Team North Carolina. I didn't get here by having the sort of defeatist attitude that stems from saying "can't." I've come a long way and it wasn't easy, but I kept at it. And believe me, I worked hard. I'm glad to show anyone who asks footage of my first season. It's brutal.
Just remember, "can't never could."
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