What Week 1 of CrossFit and Bartending Taught Me
August 2nd.
August 2nd, 2021 was the day I decided to embark on a new journey. After a rough July I decided I had to tap back into my mindset and my routine to see what was working and what wasn’t working.
I had a very inconsistent morning routine. I had fallen out of habits due to overworking myself and being on the grind 24/7. July was a month of rest, restoration (lots of sleep and being in bed), going out and having my fun with friends but I knew this was something I needed to do for this month.
It’s important we give ourselves grace. It’s important that we give ourselves time to rest and unwind. The weekend isn’t long enough to do everything you want to do so ask for your days off even if it’s once a month. Your job will still be there when you come back. Try to turn off the Netflix marathon and get some more sleep instead.
August 2nd, 2021 was the day I decided to start CrossFit and Bartending classes. As many of you may or may not know, I’ve done kickboxing which I enjoyed tremendously, I’ve done running and races this allowed me to clear my head and explore beautiful scenery. I’ve done home workouts which allowed me to save money and workout from the comfort of my own home. I thought to myself it’s time for change.
For those of you that don’t know CrossFit is a high intensity group workout that engages your whole body. You may be out of breath within the first 5 minutes but you have to make it through the hour and you WILL make it through the hour, trust me. You just have to be willing to give it your all. CrossFit has been the most challenging exercise I’ve ever done but I like the group aspect of it and that I don’t have to find or create an exercise routine for myself. While many others in a group setting may compare themselves to the people around them and feel “weak” especially for a beginner. I decided to see those around me as motivation. The great majority have been doing CrossFit for much longer then myself. They are older and are in great shape and this motivates me to get my shit together while I’m still young.
During the first week I took 2 rest days over the course of 7 days. They usually tell you if you’re a beginner to take 2–3 rest days within the 5 days (excluding weekends because who works out on weekends right? I do lol) I’m doing CrossFit in order to challenge myself and build my strength. I want to be strong. I want to be able to handle carrying groceries with ease. I want to be toned and I want to lose around another 60 pounds to reach my goal weight. I knew with the meal plan and exercise plan I have going this will allow me to reach those goals. My recommendations for beginners would be to start off slow, start with the weight that you feel comfortable with, don’t be scared to ask questions or say what’s on your mind, and make the most of the experience. Within my first week, I’ve made some friends (both of the participants and the instructors) that welcome me into the class with love and energy.
Now moving onto Bartending. What sparked my interest in bartending was a weekend in Miami at the end of July. I thought to myself how much could these people be generating in revenue by making drinks. I spent so much money on this trip and I realized that companies hiring processes in corporate America or in startup culture are not as fast as I wanted them to be. I decided to take matters into my own hands. I thought about my people skills. I am extremely friendly, not easily annoyed, calm most of the time, a natural networker and a great listener. After doing some digging I decided to join bartending school. I felt that with my personality I could thrive in this environment. I quickly realized I’d have to memorize over 100 recipes for drinks, prepare for a speed test I believe it’s making 12 drinks in 5 or 7 minutes. I had to prepare for a written assessment as well. It felt like school all over again something I was not good at. I’ve never been good at test I’m more of an essay girl. However, it was time I threw these limiting beliefs out of the window and start on a brand new clean slate.
Week 1 of bartending school was challenging but I thought to myself “girl you already paid for it so what am I going to do, I have no choice but to pass.” Repetition allowed me to remember the first few recipes with ease and hopefully it’ll help me going into my second and God willingly final week. I’m excited to make some extra money to pay down my debt and have some money for extra things like trips and philanthropic responsibilities. Full disclaimer what I’ve learned in my first week of bartending is that it is a fast pace environment (depending on where you work) but you will be on your feet for hours so wear comfortable shoes. You will deal with some interesting people so be ready to not debate with customers and just try and have as much fun on the job as you can. Don’t drink while on your job unless your establishment allows you to. All in all, I’m excited moving into the second week. Within the first week I’ve reestablished some healthy habits in my life and I’ve been getting up way earlier and getting more done in my day.
I’m feeling extremely grateful and ready to continue on this journey. Hope this blog post helps at least one person!
