How to Be the Best of You (because “normal” is just a myth)

Last week, I discovered — much to my surprise! — that I have something important in common with Tom Brady.

(Yes, that Tom Brady — the record-breaking NFL quarterback.)

It’s certainly not athleticism.

He can throw so straight and so fast — the ball actually rotates 10 times per second!

Whereas my claim to fame is getting my glasses broken by a football in 8th grade because my reflexes are so slow. 🤷🏼‍♀️

But we do have one KEY thing in common.

What It Takes to Show Up as “the Best of You”

In a fascinating YouTube video about Brady’s famous spiral throw, he spelled out what he did to make sure he gave the same stellar performance at every single game, regardless of whether the game was held at an indoor or outdoor stadium … whether the temperature was hot or cold … or whether there was wind, rain, or snow.

Notice the detail and intentionality he expresses:

“I knew exactly what to wear for every single condition. … You know the thickness you want your sleeves …

You go, ‘What’s the temperature? It’s 50 degrees? Okay, this is the shirt when it’s 50 degrees. Oh, it’s 35 degrees? These are the two shirts I wear when it’s 35 degrees.

This is the muff that I wear and this is how many heat packs I put in the muff to keep my hand warm when it’s 30 degrees vs. 50 degrees.’ 

You observe over time, and you get better and better.… Everything is just fractions of things you do to make yourself feel the most comfortable.”

Let me repeat that last line for emphasis:

“Everything is just fractions of things you do to make yourself feel the most comfortable.”

In other words, Tom Brady knew and did what it took for him to show up as Tom Brady, game in and game out.

From “High Maintenance” to “High Awareness“

I, on the other hand, spent the first 45 years of my life pretending to be “normal.”

Ignoring my body’s signals and neglecting my body’s needs.

• Shivering in short sleeves because nobody else was putting on a sweater.
• Letting my hands go ice-cold because I didn’t want to be the only weirdo person wearing gloves.

I wanted to be seen as normal … NOT as “high maintenance.”

<shudder> 

But you know the one phrase that never once crossed my mind while watching the YouTube video about Tom Brady?

It never even occurred to me to think of Tom Brady as “high maintenance.”

No way.

In fact, his detailed knowledge of his specific needs and his intentionality in meeting them is the opposite of “high maintenance” — it’s high awareness!

And you know who else doesn’t think of Tom Brady as “high maintenance”?

Tom Brady.

He’s committed to doing what he needs to do so that he can show up as the very best version of himself.

Which is the key thing I have in common with Tom Brady:

I’m learning to do what I need to do so that I can show up as the very best version of me.

A Seat Cushion, Less Shame … and Zero Pain

Just last week, for example, I made the 800 mile round-trip drive to southern California to visit my family.

During my previous drive, I ended up with all sorts of leg, hip, and back pain — including sciatica, which makes me nuts — all because I was driving a car with unexpectedly hard seats.

And my body has two specific issues with hard seats:

1. I’ve broken my tailbone three separate times.
   (Twice while roller-skating and once when riding a mustang named Tiffany who got spooked by birds, swerved to the right, but I kept going straight … over her head!)
   
   
2. I have a very bony butt.
   (For which I expect zero sympathy!)

So I purchased a seat cushion with a cut-out for my tailbone and two donut-like holes to relieve pressure from my “butt bones.”

And then, rather than leaving the seat cushion at home because my Inner Critic kept shaming me (“What are you, the princess and the pea?!?”) I actually used it during my most recent drives.

Which means that I showed up with less shame. Zero pain. And a lot more peace.

If Tom Brady can use an exact number of heat packs to keep his throwing hand warm so he can show up as Tom Brady, then I can jolly well use a 3-holed seat cushion so I can show up as Cheri Gregory.

I’m learning to stop apologizing for what I need—and fully embrace what helps me thrive.

Turns out, comfort isn’t self-centeredness or indulgence.

It’s a path to showing up fully present.

What Do YOU Need to Show Up as the Best of YOU?

What about you?

What might happen if you no longer worried What if someone thinks I’m being “high-maintenance”?

What if you started asking, What do I need so I can show up as the BEST version of ME?

• It might be a 3-holed seat cushion.
• It might be a short nap.
• It might be permission to leave early … or not show up at all.

Whatever it is, it’s valid.

Being the best version of you means honoring your physical, sensory, emotional, relational, and spiritual needs.

Not “high maintenance”—high awareness.

That’s what it takes to answer this question well:

What do YOU need to show up as the BEST of YOU?

Say it out loud.

Write it down.

DO it.

And keep asking yourself:

What DO I need to show up as the BEST of me?