Time to finish up the year! If you missed last week and want to make Sure you didn’t miss any posts this year, you can find Part 1 of wrapping up the year HERE. And now for Part 2… Continue reading
intention
The Shame of the Backslide…
Today I am writing about something that may seem only tangentially related to my themes for the year, but it actually ties into several of them. I want to talk a little bit about battling with feelings of shame when you backslide in one area or another, especially living in a culture that is obsessed with productivity and progress. It can feel so discouraging to experience a regression of any sort, and no one really wants to talk about that stuff, which is why I feel like it is really important to talk about my own struggles with the backslides I have had this year. Continue reading
2022 NYC Marathon Recap and Reflections
Training and fundraising for and completing the NYC Marathon became one of my biggest goals and focuses for this year. It is the biggest challenge I’ve taken on in a very long time and I wanted to make sure I had a record of the experience while my thoughts were still fresh. It has been hard for me to write a race recap because I feel like there is SO MUCH to say about race weekend and at the same time like it was all such a blur and hard to express. But writing tends to help my thoughts so I’m just going to write a ton (and believe it or not this is an abridge version compared to what I journaled…) and no one is obligated to read any of it, so if you want to read on grab your favorite cozy drink and settle in for the long ramblings of my race weekend experiences… Continue reading
October Wrap Up and November Goals
Hello November! AKA the start line of the sprint to the end of the year. Doesn’t it seem like time goes extra fast the final 2 months of the year?! I am both SO ready for it and absolutely not feeling prepared at all. Unsurprisingly, it was hard to think past the first week of this month, and you’ll see that reflected in this post, so with that disclaimer here we go… Continue reading
Fabulous Fall: Intentional, Simple Rituals for a Cozy Season
Now that it doesn’t feel like I live on the face of the sun, I am really looking into some intentional fall feeling rituals to embrace cozy season. Hello Hygge! I am trying to lean into the start of these intentional, simple rituals right now especially because my nerves are revving up since I am in the “taper” phase of training. So here are five of my favorites that I am loving focusing on to bring me back to intentional living… Continue reading
My Favorite Instruments for Intentional Productivity
THIS POST CONTAINS SOME AFFILIATE LINKS, SO IF YOU BUY A PRODUCT THROUGH THAT LINK, I GET A SMALL PERCENTAGE. HOWEVER, I HAVE NOT BEEN PAID OR RECEIVED ANY COMPENSATION TO WRITE THIS POST AND THE VIEWS IN IT ARE 100% MINE.
I’ve been thinking a lot about instruments– I was going to write a little about the instruments I’ve used during my training but, honestly, I’m a little over writing about running at the moment. Then I realized I have several favorite instruments for intentional productivity that I’d just love to share about and that have helped me during training but aren’t directly related to running. So I’m sharing them here. Keep in mind: they’re only instruments though- they need you to play them or they are not worth much. I could have the greatest tool for productivity in the world, but if I let it sit in the box waiting for the perfect time to use it or waiting for me to become perfect at using it.. that tool (aka instrument) would not be worth much. So here are the instruments I use on a daily or weekly basis to be sure I’m not just spinning my wheels but actually moving toward my big picture goals. Continue reading
Three Questions I ask Myself Daily
OK, so this post is full of some real talk… I have been on the struggle bus for a while. I KNOW this is a seasonal challenge- August and early September are truly just the time of year when Phoenicians are constantly wondering if they should pack it all up and move… and this year has been extra hard with all the humid heat instead of our typical dry heat. Plus, while I have been outside training, I am doing all of it trying to avoid the sunlight as much as possible- running super early, taking the shadiest paths possible, etc. And my mental health is just SO much better when I can actually go out and ENJOY the sunshine. So while I am in a season of struggle, one of my go-to practices is to “do in the dark what you know how to do in the light” and that means things like continuing to move my body, practicing gratitude, hydrating, praying, and asking myself the following 3 questions when I start to get really overhwelmed and critical of myself…which can pop up a lot during this training cycle, especially as my miles for the week keep getting more intense… Continue reading
What I love about ME
It is SO HARD to take a compliment and even harder to compliment myself. I had made a note in my drafts folder for this blog YEARS ago of a challenge that was popular at the time to name 5 things you like about yourself, something that was a challenge because it seemed extra hard or uncomfortable for women especially. Well, after almost this exact same prompt coming up in a recent MOPS (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers) meeting, I’ve finally dusted off this old post idea… and upgraded it from like to love. I challenge you to share with me some things YOU really love about yourself too… Continue reading
“I’ve never run this far before…”
Last weekend I ran 15 miles for my long run. This was a HUGE shift in my marathon training as up until this point I have run a half marathon distance or less for my long runs- a distance that I have run before. While that distance started getting hard with no “course support” or cheering fans that I am used to having if going above ten miles, it was not nearly as intimidating as suddenly being back in the place where I have to think to myself “I have never run this far before.” Continue reading
July Wrap Up and August Goals
Can I tell you a secret? I try to be a pretty positive person, but August is my least favorite month. It is so crazy hot here in Phoenix and the heat isn’t even close to being over, plus the school year feels like it keeps starting earlier and earlier and while that was something I really looked forward to as a kid, I kind of hate it as a parent. I love my time with the kids over the summer and I love not having to remember everyone’s academic schedules and needs. So I am bracing for this month but I know that if I can get through these next two months then my favorite time of year will be right around the corner. Before I get too far into the future though, let’s recap July and look at what I’m going to try and focus on as we head into a new school year… Continue reading
Alphabet Resolutions 