CFH CORE VALUES Blog Series!
Starting today, once a week on Tuesdays we are going to publish a special series of blog posts written by your coaches about the CFH Core Values. If you are not familiar with the CFH Core Values, they are on a sign in the front gym. This week we are kicking it off with Compassion, written by Coach Alexa!
Compassion
Compassion- we are respectful and caring. We constantly strive to develop the capacity to forgive others and ourselves. We celebrate the success of others and always strive to be a positive part of the community.
When you ask most people what words come to mind when they think about CrossFit compassion probably wouldn’t be one of them. In fact it seems a little counterintuitive. At CrossFit Federal Hill we have chosen to make this quality a pillar of our box- you might be asking why. I had a yoga teacher once tell me that if your yoga practice isn’t making you a better person you are doing it all wrong. I firmly believe that statement to be true no matter what you are practicing and training for. At CrossFit Federal hill we demonstrate compassion for ourselves, each other, and our community.
By definition, compassion is consciousness of another’s suffering or misfortune and the desire to alleviate it. Although by definition compassion refers to helping others, it starts with you. When you feel strong, you are better able to share that strength with others who need it. Lifting weights and moving fast develops the muscles in your body, but more importantly it builds mental resiliency, character, and the ability to find comfort in difficult situations. When you cultivate these qualities, you can share them with others who are in need. We use our strength to recognize when others are suffering, and lend a helping hand.
We demonstrate compassion within our community every day. We rally around the last one finished in a workout or we lend an ear before or after class to someone who had a rough day. We come together each day from different backgrounds with the same mission- to get stronger together. This collective power has accomplished many amazing things over the past several years. We operate the Community of Strength Project – a non-profit which builds the physical fitness of inner city youth and prepares them for successful futures. We have raised money for other non-profits in Baltimore City and beyond. Our members have biked, hiked, and ran to raise money and awareness for life threatening diseases and other worthy causes. We collect money and purchase Toys for Tots each holiday season. We have collected items for first responders in times of need. We come together to sweat and honor those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice of their life in the line of duty several times each year. We put our personal goals and egos on the back burner and put in work to better the world around us. We put in work to honor the lives and sacrifices of others who aren’t fighting for a new PR, but something much larger and important than that. That is what it is all about.