My name is Shaylee Bjornson and I have a passion for power lifting. Through my journey I have faced many challenges that youth should not have to struggle through to do what they love, such as sports. Some of my accomplishments include multiple silver and gold awards from participating in CPU (Canadian Powerlifting Union) competitions, putting in time to beat your own records, overcoming mental block and lastly understanding that time is power. Mental block is something I struggled with through my years of training; I always had a number stuck in my head and would overthink and limit myself to only accomplish that goal. Through this struggle I realized that time is power, in order to build strength, you have to be willing to put in the time and effort. My accomplishments have occurred in multiple locations from the gym, home, or the competition platform, but it is important to note that not all accomplishments have to be big. Although wanting to pursue a life in powerlifting I had the challenges of being a child in care, I was moved around a lot and didn’t have the role models that I needed in my life making it hard to find a passion for what I love to do. It wasn’t until I was moved into a foster home and built the connections I needed to pursue my love for powerlifting. My foster parents supported me and gave me the resources I needed to further my potential. Although I should note that there are going to be numerous bad days where life gets in the way, but I was able to overcome it through setting small achievable goals that have gotten me to where I am today. I was introduced to a personal trainer who guided me with his personal knowledge in powerlifting. He helped me see the other side to powerlifting, where I was able to learn that there will be hard days, physically and mentally. These struggles helped me realize my goal in powerlifting was not to win medals, but rather enjoy the small accomplishments I have completed in my training/competitions. If I were to give a piece of encouragement to others, I would tell them to continue to do what they love. Don’t let friends, family or others take it all away from you. Continue to pursue your dreams and live the life that you want to live – don’t let others choose it for you.
Shaylee Bjornson
Shaylee Bjornson