If It Wasn't for Yuzuru, I'd Never Have....

[swan_queen]

(My post is really long but I haven't really been able to share this with anyone and I think this may be a good place for it. If you feel it would best fit elsewhere, please let me know.)

 

I had no idea who Yuzuru Hanyu was until PyeongChang and had only started to follow skating a few weeks before the Olympics—the main reason I started was because it gave me something distracting and totally unrelated from my own life to look forward to. A few months prior, some things happened in my life and I was experiencing depression and anxiety in ways I had never experienced before. It wasn’t so severe to the point where I was in true danger, but I lived in constant fear of the future and there were moments when I just couldn’t see a way forward for myself. I felt like I had failed everyone who had given me so much support and most of all, I felt I had failed myself. Feeling this way was a shock to my system. I was about to graduate university so I thought everything was supposed to be exciting and special in my entry to the real world but this was far from the case. Many things I had always enjoyed lost nearly all meaning, but for some reason figure skating gave me something new to be excited about (I’m doing much better now and things are finally feeling normal again!)

 

The significance of Yuzuru’s win didn’t sink in until I read more about him and his injury during the months preceding the Olympics. To be honest, at first I thought he was overrated, just someone with too many screaming fans—until I watched his Olympic gala skate. Notte Stellata transported me to a different world. It was so beautiful, effortless, graceful, ethereal, and touching, and he seemed so at peace. I knew nothing about jump types or anything, I just knew that it made me feel something when I thought I would never feel real emotion again. (Even now, whenever I feel a little down or discouraged, I'll just watch that video. Notte Stellata has even been my most-played song on Spotify this year)

 

Yuzuru Hanyu saved me. I’m not saying watching him skate automatically fixed all my problems or anything, but at least he made things more bearable. He showed me that there is still hope and beauty in this life, and that with enough time, our struggles can become pure happiness and peace. His performances gave me hope that there was a future waiting for me, that everything should be done with purpose and with thought, that each moment should be given meaning and that life is better when we give it our own meaning. That passion and love still existed within me, and that I might also feel happy and peaceful someday. That having weaknesses is what makes us stronger. 

 

In fact, that’s one of my favorite quotes, “weakness is strength” (弱さは強さ) which he talked about in one of his post-Olympic interviews with Matsuoka Shuzo in reference to his ankle. Any time I’m in a difficult situation now, I think about 弱さは強さ and how this difficult situation could actually be something good, and what I can learn from it. So, without Yuzuru, I wouldn't have felt and learned all the things that I have. 

 

For a long time I didn’t bother to learn about the different types of jumps and the scoring system, because I only watched skating to appreciate the art and beauty. But I am slowly educating myself on the technical side, and followed the Grand Prix events for the first time this season. 

 

Sorry for such a long post… all of this is to say: thank you, Yuzuru! 

[rockstaryuzu]

@swan_queen Thanks for sharing! I noticed this is your very first post on the Planet. You made it a good one .  Welcome and I hope you enjoy it here. 

18 hours ago, swan_queen said:

He showed me that there is still hope and beauty in this life

When you said this, I wondered how many of the people who have ever watched him skate, have felt the same. It's definitely a sentiment many of the satellites have expressed here on the Planet at various times. 

[Yuzu_legend]

On 13/12/2018 at 6:07, swan_queen said:

(My post is really long but I haven't really been able to share this with anyone and I think this may be a good place for it. If you feel it would best fit elsewhere, please let me know.)

 

I had no idea who Yuzuru Hanyu was until PyeongChang and had only started to follow skating a few weeks before the Olympics—the main reason I started was because it gave me something distracting and totally unrelated from my own life to look forward to. A few months prior, some things happened in my life and I was experiencing depression and anxiety in ways I had never experienced before. It wasn’t so severe to the point where I was in true danger, but I lived in constant fear of the future and there were moments when I just couldn’t see a way forward for myself. I felt like I had failed everyone who had given me so much support and most of all, I felt I had failed myself. Feeling this way was a shock to my system. I was about to graduate university so I thought everything was supposed to be exciting and special in my entry to the real world but this was far from the case. Many things I had always enjoyed lost nearly all meaning, but for some reason figure skating gave me something new to be excited about (I’m doing much better now and things are finally feeling normal again!)

 

The significance of Yuzuru’s win didn’t sink in until I read more about him and his injury during the months preceding the Olympics. To be honest, at first I thought he was overrated, just someone with too many screaming fans—until I watched his Olympic gala skate. Notte Stellata transported me to a different world. It was so beautiful, effortless, graceful, ethereal, and touching, and he seemed so at peace. I knew nothing about jump types or anything, I just knew that it made me feel something when I thought I would never feel real emotion again. (Even now, whenever I feel a little down or discouraged, I'll just watch that video. Notte Stellata has even been my most-played song on Spotify this year)

 

Yuzuru Hanyu saved me. I’m not saying watching him skate automatically fixed all my problems or anything, but at least he made things more bearable. He showed me that there is still hope and beauty in this life, and that with enough time, our struggles can become pure happiness and peace. His performances gave me hope that there was a future waiting for me, that everything should be done with purpose and with thought, that each moment should be given meaning and that life is better when we give it our own meaning. That passion and love still existed within me, and that I might also feel happy and peaceful someday. That having weaknesses is what makes us stronger. 

 

In fact, that’s one of my favorite quotes, “weakness is strength” (弱さは強さ) which he talked about in one of his post-Olympic interviews with Matsuoka Shuzo in reference to his ankle. Any time I’m in a difficult situation now, I think about 弱さは強さ and how this difficult situation could actually be something good, and what I can learn from it. So, without Yuzuru, I wouldn't have felt and learned all the things that I have. 

 

For a long time I didn’t bother to learn about the different types of jumps and the scoring system, because I only watched skating to appreciate the art and beauty. But I am slowly educating myself on the technical side, and followed the Grand Prix events for the first time this season. 

 

Sorry for such a long post… all of this is to say: thank you, Yuzuru! 

Welcome!!!!!

[Ashley2162018]

Initially became a fan of FS since Nancy and Tonya era. But my country suddenly stopped airing FS broadcasts. And everything went the back burner.

An online friend introduced me to Yuzu and Javi's skating just this year. Both of them were brilliant.

Looking up on both of them I realized that both men went through a lot to become the champions they are.

And finding out that Yuzu was going to the Olympics with a questionable ankle kept me on radar.

I was not able to see it on livestream, but via chat my friend was updating.

And when he won, I found out that it was the realization of his childhood dream. A dream he was working on since he was in elementary school.

He never lost focus, gave up a lot of things but made it come true.

It was definetly not easy and seeing him achieve it made me look at life in a better light.

Life can be challenging at times, but rewards all those diligent enough to make things happens.

And knowing gives me the consolotion that yeah hard work and discipline, it does work even in the most cynical times.

I wish you happiness from here and beyond Yuzu.

[nextchallenger]

If it wasn't for Yuzuru, I would never have restarted to watch figure skating or appreciate this sport as much as I do now.

[VyVy99]

I'd never have graduated college abroad. I've said it once, I'll say it as long as he says "kuyashii".

Seriously, I couldn't believe it, my parents couldn't believe it, my whole family couldn't believe it. It was so critical and next to impossible for me to graduate here, everyone around me was preparing for the worst case scenario and arrange for me to return to my home country. 

How I kept the dead focus on my fighting was purely out of mimicking his stubborn way of thinking. I put his picture folder on replay the whole time while blasting music to block away distractions. And when I would feel discourage and look up from the text book, I'd see his face, then I'll get right back to work.

It was the last three hellish months like that, tell me how I could've done it differently.

[rockstaryuzu]

20 hours ago, VyVy99 said:

I'd never have graduated college abroad. I've said it once, I'll say it as long as he says "kuyashii".

Seriously, I couldn't believe it, my parents couldn't believe it, my whole family couldn't believe it. It was so critical and next to impossible for me to graduate here, everyone around me was preparing for the worst case scenario and arrange for me to return to my home country. 

How I kept the dead focus on my fighting was purely out of mimicking his stubborn way of thinking. I put his picture folder on replay the whole time while blasting music to block away distractions. And when I would feel discourage and look up from the text book, I'd see his face, then I'll get right back to work.

It was the last three hellish months like that, tell me how I could've done it differently.

Wow. Congratulations on getting through that.

[utsukushii3A]

I'd never have stopped being a gold medalist in the Laziness World Championships, the Self-Pity Grand Prix, and the Lame Excuse Making Olympics, at least not as fast as I did.

 

I'd never have stopped believing all the stupid things my parents and teachers and the internet had said about how "perfectionism=BAD" and being modest and considerate to others about your achievements/talent is "hiding your giftedness to fit in". No, perfectionism is realistic if you're actually capable of near-perfection. Not answering, "I have a 101.5 average!" when someone nervously asks you how you're doing in a class is being respectful of the obvious fact that they're asking you because they're doing terribly. (I didn't actually answer like that! I just felt a lot of completely unnecessary guilt about the imaginary disservice I was doing myself and my fellow high achievers by not beating people over the head with my talents.)

 

THANK YOU, YUZU. You saved me so much unneeded nonsense.

[rockstaryuzu]

Never underestimate Mr. Hanyu the power of a good example!

 

 

[Kveykva]

If it wasn't for Yuzu, I don't know where I'd be. Whenever I feel like giving up on something, I think of his performance at 4CC and Worlds 2017, and that's where I get my inspiration. And I must admit that my skating reflects his in certain aspects. My right shoulder isn't flexible cause of injury so I also grab my wrist for Beillmanns (I'm lefty but whatever I can somewhat do it righty)

[utsukushii3A]

Far less serious than most on this thread, but I now have a new one as of yesterday: I probably never would have gotten fed up enough with the excess waist fabric on my clothes to try tailoring them. Turns out it's pretty easy to take in the waist of something that fits everywhere else.

[rockstaryuzu]

If it weren't for Yuzu re-introducing me to watching FS, I wouldn't have had any stress relief for the past three months when I badly needed it. But figure skating ( and Yuzu videos) was there for me and I'm grateful.

[rockstaryuzu]

One thing we never thought about:

 

[anski]

Gotten into Japanese FS! I was already a figure skating fan but when I started really following the sport I was very big on Team Russia (how the tables have turned lmao) and maybe wouldn’t have become interested in Japanese skaters if I didn’t like Yuzu’s skating style so much.

[utsukushii3A]

I just keep coming up with new things for this thread. He's such a good role model.

 

New as of a few weeks ago! I never would have learned to stand up for myself about my vision problems. I don't know if it's where I live or just bad luck with the people I've encountered, but it seems like no one around here cares about anyone's medical problems unless there's enough emotion along with it. Like, never mind that everything is blurring in and out and I feel like my eyes are going to fall out of my head if I read one more sentence, I'm not crying or anything, so it can't be that bad! So, I'd keep pushing myself until I got a splitting headache and ended up so frustrated with how much I wanted to keep working but couldn't that I'd cry because of that. Then people would cut me some slack. 

 

Yeah, pretty sure if anyone pulled that on Yuzu about his asthma, they'd get his best murderface. So if anyone pulls that on me about my plethora of vision problems, I'll just think of said murderface and refuse to back down.