THIS IS NOT A WEIGHT LOSS POST.
This is a post with a goal of putting one of my 2020 goals into context for you in hopes that context resonates with something you’re experiencing as well. (And if it does, I’d love to hear about it. There’s so much power in knowing someone else is thinking about something that’s also on your mind.)
As 2019 concluded and I was digging into the key areas on which I wanted to focus energy this year I noticed a change in some of the words I was brainstorming when I thought about goals related to my physical health. The word “weight” wasn’t to be found on the page. ANYWHERE.
Insert record scratch sound effect here.
To be honest, I don’t know what I actually weigh at this moment, but I’m quite certain the number isn’t an optimum number. Like so many this time of year, some holiday indulgences (going back to July 4th if I’m REALLY honest) have taken their toll. But with all that in mind, a glance at the page where I was journaling my feelings about my physical health turned up words like “balance, awareness, focus, shift.”
I do have some health and wellness goals for 2020, but you won’t find me talking anywhere about losing weight- and that’s on purpose. I don’t have a goal for pounds lost, and I honestly haven’t decided when or if I’ll get on the scale.
My goal this year is to be a better steward of the physical health I’ve been gifted.
I focused on some other areas in my life with greater intensity in 2019, and while those same areas of focus remain in my vision for 2020, I know I cannot let that focus come at the expense of taking care of myself. So, I’m carving in time to get my shoes laced up and get back on the pavement with some running. For me, running (ummm…slowly jogging still counts, right?) represents an activity I can do most anywhere that feels great once I’ve completed it. At some point I’ll tell you more details about my mental and physical journey with running if you’re interested, but for today that activity remains something I can come back to as something like a comfort zone. I know what to expect, what my body responds to and handles well, and it’s easy to set goals and measure progress (something that’s also important to me if I’m going to stick to something.)
So what does that mean about 2020 goals exactly? Well, my husband and I sat on our couch late last month and agreed to sign up for the Myrtle Beach Half Marathon here in town in March. That means we have to get started NOW to be ready.
We’re signed up. We have our respective training plans. Straight honesty again- so far Jodie has been more dedicated than I have been on sticking to the early runs. But I’m doing it. My runs so far have been a mix of torture and triumph. (Literally in the same mile last week I wondered aloud how I’d let my stamina get so low again and then cheered when I finally turned the corner and realized I was almost at my half way point.)
We are lucky here in sweet home South Carolina because temps are hovering in the 60s and low 70s during the day. (IN JANUARY, Y’ALL!!) I can run outside along Ocean Boulevard and not have to be bundled up, so I want to take advantage of that. I know that each time I make the conscious choice to take the time to do this I’m taking advantage of the fact that I CAN do it, and I’m making a conscious effort to do something to help my body stay healthy so I can enjoy my blessings for a long, long time. My connection to the goal of running this race in March is that it will mean I’ve stuck to the goal and made lots of little choices these first few months of the year that will help me reshape my thoughts about moving my body, using food to fuel it and being more deliberate about the commitment to habits I know are important to my long term health.
If you don’t know me well you may not even understand that opening up in a post like this is FAR outside of my comfort zone; yet it represents something I want to do because I know it becomes a public commitment to take care of myself as well.
So what does this mean for you? I have to say I’m not sure- that’s such a personal thing. Do you have a physical health goal? Maybe yours is not to run a race at all but to drink more water or to start walking. Maybe you hate running/walking for exercise, but really love yoga or riding a bike. Maybe you haven’t set ANY physical goals at all because you’re avoiding thinking about those areas of your life right now because other areas are in need of that energy. Hey- that’s okay. We are all in very different spaces mentally about what is important to us, and perhaps more specifically WHY those things are important to us. Your journey is your own. I’ll cheer you on regardless of what your goal is if you’d like to share.
But in the spirit of community and because I needed a new playlist to use on this race journey, I’ve made another Spotify list you’re also welcome to use. It’s filled with some motivational and fun songs I’ll be listening to on repeat these next few months while I’m training and running. Some make me laugh and sing along. Some of these give me a little extra ‘umph’ when I feel like I’m running low on energy or motivation. Some of them bring back memories of things, places or people I love- and make me smile regardless of what I’m doing. I’ll warn you there are a couple songs on this list I didn’t select the edited version, so a naughty word or two may slip in. If that offends you, I apologize; there aren’t many and I’d never purposefully try to offend you. There’s 2 hours and 8 minutes of motivation on this list. (I’ll have to add a few more songs to it before race day because my stretch goal for March is to do the dang thing between 2:30-2:40 total.) If you listen and have an idea for a song that should be added, let me know! You can help me play DJ.
Here’s my promise to you: I won’t be posting daily updates about what run I did (or didn’t do.) That’s not my goal here. My mission with LetterJess is to “Inspire Delight.” I’m delighted every time I get to work on an order for you, but I’m also really delighted when I reach a goal or milestone. When I feel like I’ve overcome something in my own mind that has held me back, or when I hear from you about something wonderful happening in your corner of the world, I AM DELIGHTED!
So go get your shoes on, grab your headphones (are they still called that?) and hit the road with me. I’ll give you a running start. Click here to go to Spotify for my “Running Start” playlist.
