“Be more like Emily Abbott.” 

My boyfriend said that line to me more than once over the course of the week in Carson. At the time, I wanted to swat him across the face (I may have once) because I felt so insecure that week as it was; I didn’t need him telling me to be more like someone else. 

But at the same time, I knew his words were meant to help me. And I couldn’t have agreed with him more. 

I wanted to be more like Emily Abbott that week—not because she won an event at the Games, but because of how she won it: Fearlessly.