Gratitude reframes everything. When we’re thankful to our bodies for the work they do, we more readily prioritize recovery and absorb the benefits. When we thank ourselves for showing up, any disappointments are diminished. When we are grateful for the people around us, we feel supported. How do you use gratitude in your training and competition? Get inspired by the Athletes for Yoga Pro Team.

What are you thankful for when you look back at the 2019 season?

Stephanie Howe

Grace to accept the present. Sometimes that's a 4th place finish at CCC, and sometimes that's a month without any running. I am grateful for the times I give myself this grace. It's always a work in progress, but I find it easier the more I mature as a human being. You can't always be exactly where you want, but you can always be thankful for the present moment.

Devon Yanko

Being true to myself.

Michaela Copenhaver

After 15 years of rowing, I’m so thankful that there are still so many ways for me to improve and things for me to learn. It’s fun getting better at activities you are passionate about!

Ted Treise

Looking back at the 2019 season, I am thankful for the lessons learned and the ability to be okay with failing. A lot of great things happened in 2019, from getting engaged, overcoming challenges during the 40 hours a week I don't spend exercising or at home, and completing in my first year as a pro triathlete. However, with the highlight reel comes many lessons learned and times I failed within the process. I now know I can fail and be okay with it. Because with mistakes, comes lessons learned and ways to improve in the future. This has been a huge shift and I am very thankful for it.

Andie Cozzarelli

My health. For a long time I didn't put my body first. If I had stayed on that path my body would have reached a breaking point. These last few years of training and racing haven't been as good as I had hoped, but I am on a better path. 2019 has felt like a turning point both mentally and physically. While I still have a lot of work to do, being in a better place with my mind and body is far better than any time on a clock. It all gives me hope for the future and I am thankful for the ability to keep moving forward.

Who are you thankful for THIS YEAR?

Stephanie Howe

My friends, especially Rory Bosio, Fernanda Maciel, and Meghan Laws. They had my back through some tough times this year.

Devon Yanko

My coach, Ian, who has helped me navigate and recreate my path (over and over again).

Michaela Copenhaver

I’m so thankful to the group of people that supported me in making my second national team. They kept me healthy, happy, and focused through a tough year. The list is long, but includes training partners, my coach, my therapist, doctors and nutritionists, family and fans. The theme that ran through all these people was that they believed in me, even when sometimes I didn’t believe in myself, and that’s a priceless gift.

I’m also thankful for myself. While my team supported me, I was the only one who could put in the unglamorous daily work. Reflecting on my whole career, I can see a lot of the decisions I’ve made that created a person who could put in that work, and I’m grateful to the past version of myself for making those decisions.

Ted Treise

There are many people to be thankful for within the 2019 season. First off, my folks for coming to my races where ever they are in the country and being apart of the process. Dani for supporting my dreams and helping me each step of the way. On the Athletes for Yoga front, Erin for being a huge resource throughout my injury and being there to create routines to help with some mobility in the creaky body. I would not be here today without these amazing humans helping me.

Andie Cozzarelli

Literally everyone. From my teammates, sponsors, friends + family, to my followers, I have needed a lot of people to keep going. Rebounding from a few tough years isn't something you should go through alone. I have had to reach out for help from all angles and I am thankful to have that support.

How do you use gratitude IN YOUR TRAINING + COMPETITION?

Stephanie Howe

I am always very grateful to my body every time I get out in the mountains. It's such an amazing feeling to explore on my own two feet. Gratitude plays and even bigger role when things are hard. I am grateful for the things I DO have, despite not everything falling into place.

Devon Yanko

When the going gets tough I remind myself "I GET to do this.” Reminds me to be grateful for the choice to do hard things.

Michaela Copenhaver

This is likely my last season competing in rowing, so in an effort to squeeze the most joy out of every day that’s left, I’ve started a daily gratitude practice in my journal: just one thing I’m grateful for, every day, no repeats. It can be incredibly simple and ordinary (“it didn’t rain today”), so it’s always easy to find something to write down. I don’t know where it will take me, but if sport has taught me anything, it’s to find joy in the process, not the outcome. Maybe just writing one thing every day is the whole point.

Ted Treise

Gratitude plays a huge role into my training and racing. For me, I don't race the best when I'm seeing red and spitting fire. I race the best when I'm enjoying the day with the people there and having gratitude for being out there.

Andie Cozzarelli

This year helped me to realize how important gratitude is. When I was racing my best I was always looking ahead to what's next. I wasn't giving myself the opportunity to celebrate what I had done and appreciate it. No matter how fast I was running, there were things that I still wasn't satisfied with. Working through struggles and wishing I could be the athlete I once was, reminded me how little I thanked my body for what it had done. Finally feeling like myself in spurts this year has given me the ability to train smarter and put my body first. Gratitude makes training intuitively easier because it reminds of why I run.