As the sun sets on the last day of 2020, we wanted to take a little time to reflect on the year that was. Could we really claim to have bettered ourselves in a year that has brought so much chaos? Much of what will be written (and there will be a lot) about 2020 will be repetitive… historically-bad, the worst, dumpster-fire, good riddens, etc…. but rather than focus on the well-known and highly-publicized negatives, we want to shine the light on some lesser-recognized positives that have impacted the Daybreak community, yes, for the better:

WORKING FROM HOME:
There are many mixed feelings about the closure of offices in and around the area, but we must say that with more of you working from home… we got to see your faces more often in the gym. Our late-morning and mid-day classes got busier, and, with state-mandated class limits, it forced the cross-pollination of members who had to attend classes they normally would not. Net net: you met more people… you visited more often… and you expanded the reach of the Daybreak community! Take that, coronavirus!

FOCUSING ON OUR WELL-BEING:
Per the point above, many of our Daybreakers really doubled-down on their health and well-being. Even during the shut-down, you found equipment (sometimes milk jugs!), you ran your staircases, you dialed into Zoom, you found the time. And while it was VERY different to our typical gym routine, everyone dug their heels in and helped one another get through it. Together.

ADVANCING THE AGENDA FOR UNITY, INCLUSION & ANTI-PREJUDICE:
This year brought some pretty troubling events, many of which were way bigger than anything we see in and around Daybreak. But out of these lows, came some new highs. Awareness, discussion and action. Daybreak disaffiliated from CrossFit for intolerant remarks by the former CrossFit CEO… and while this was a small gesture in the grand scheme of things, it was big for us. As business owners, we have largely remained “quiet” on most issues social and political… but the events of this year made us want to use our voice. And when we did, the Daybreak community stood behind us. While it pales in comparison to some of the bigger issues facing our nation, we took a stand, we helped oust a prejudiced CEO and ushered in a new era of change for the CrossFit brand on which we built our business. We have since re-affiliated.

RECOGNIZING WHO & WHAT IS IMPORTANT:
With the drastic reduction of our social circles, we were forced to choose who and what is important in our lives. We were able to drown out the noise, the distractions, and re-energize the relationships that mean the most to us. And we’re happy to say the pandemic helped the Daybreak community become even more tightly knit. We like-minded fitness-goers motivated each other, held each other accountable, and celebrated one another as we all hunkered down to do our “fitness” in a very different way.

SENSE OF GRATITUDE:
More than anything, we are grateful. We’re grateful for a wakeup call that brought our families, our friends and our Daybreak community into focus. We’re grateful that we had the opportunity to grow, the opportunity to learn, the opportunity to get just a little bit better each and every day.

So for us, yes, here at the end of 2020, we have found our better. We’re stronger, we’re smarter and we’re closer to all of you, our Daybreakers. Wherever you may be tonight as the clock strikes 12:00, raise a glass and toast the “better”… just be careful who you kiss. 🙂

Sincerely,
Mel & Rap
#pursuebetter