The Power In Not Being Seen

I didn’t delete Strava, I deleted the audience. I unfollowed everyone. And, I removed everyone who was following me.

Not because I’ve stepped away from training or racing. Because for a long time, Strava kudos felt motivating… but it was really external validation. Tiny hits of approval attached to numbers, rides, and performance.

Then something in me shifted.

Last August, my blood work showed my estrogen had essentially dropped to zero. My iron was low. My body was not where it needed to be. So, I began to rebuild; hormone replacement therapy, structured training, two coaches, consistency, and patience.

Quiet work. Real work.

Plot twist: I’m the fittest I’ve ever been on the bike; power up 20+ watts. I’m also pushing personal bests in the gym for this stage of my life.

But the biggest change isn’t physical. It’s where my validation comes from.

External validation measures visibility.
Internal validation measures truth.

Kudos don’t build strength. Approval doesn’t create resilience. Witnesses don’t make progress real.

I know what my body has rebuilt.
I know what the work required.
I know what it took to come back.

That knowing feels stronger than any metric I could share.

So, I didn’t leave Strava. I just removed the need to be seen there.

This chapter is powered by internal validation.
Self-trust. Alignment. Satisfaction.

And honestly… that feels better than any number on a screen.

I know what it took. That’s enough.