09/16/2026
A few days before the show, I told a coworker I was would be taking a few days off from work to get ready for an upcoming fitness competition. We got talking about the competitive bodybuilding world, and how I’m certainly no stranger to it. I’ve been competing in various federations, divisions and categories for a long time, and do my best to stay grounded and grateful for my own unique journey, instead of allowing a placing to dictate my self-worth. Without skipping a beat, my coworker poignantly said, “Well, that’s good because “Comparison is the thief of joy.” (Theodore Roosevelt) 🤯🤯🤯🤯 …that quote stuck with me through the rest of the week. Because the second you start measuring your journey against someone else’s, you stop experiencing your own. There will always be someone leaner, stronger, younger, more experienced, further ahead, standing next to you, or standing where you think you should be. But none of that changes the person you were yesterday…or the person you are today.
My contentment to compete would have been gone a long time ago (and trust me it has been tested over the years) if I had spent all this time trying to become someone else. There’s something so incredibly powerful about being able to say, “I’m proud of where I am right now,” without needing it to be the final destination. ❤️🏆😘💪📣🖤 IFBB wellness pro Kim O'Connell Kim O’Connell Megan Dunn
