Hey friends, and a very happy Monday to you! I started early this morning writing about the Super Blood Harvest Moon and its myriad effects on me this cycle, and I will finish that soon. I think you’ll find it interesting and maybe helpful, especially the women among us. But just real quick tonight… A little motivation. It is Monday, after all. Monday of Taper Week, in fact. And actually, part of what I discovered about this moon cycle and what I wanted to share with you is how powerfully energized I feel now that the moon has reached its fullest phase. How relieved and relaxed I feel too, which is a lovely contradiction.
Taper Week. Next Sunday morning I’ll be in Lawton, Oklahoma, lacing up for the Spirit of Survival half marathon. I am very very very very very excited to run the mountain roads, see the bison herds hopefully, soak up the panoramic views, and meet new running friends, particularly some ladies from the Runhers OKC group. Signs are not pointing to a lightning quick race for me, as I’d once declared, but that’s totally okay. I am still very-times-5 excited for the event. Rumor has it that Bart Yasso will be a guest speaker the night before while we carb up on pasta, so I’m looking forward to that. Plus this is the tenth annual event for this organization, and the runner gifts look so great. I am in love with the logo, obviously. And check out how nice the weather forecast looks:
Related news: This afternoon a very good looking guy I know escaped his office early and insisted on taking me shopping for new running shoes. He really had to twist my arm, I am telling you right now. We visited three stores and I tried on about a dozen different shoes from at least five different brands, just making sure there wasn’t something more perfect out there than my beloved Brooks.
Well, I settled on Brooks again, not Nike or Saucony, not Asics, none of those. Brooks is for me, though this time I brought home Ravenna 6, not Pure Flow 3. Yay!! So excited. They are not only beautiful to behold; they are magical. I took them for a three mile spin before dinner and felt like I was flying. Rainbows literally flew out behind the treadmill like a jet ski rooster tail. Maybe I’ll meet that speed goal after all. haha
Aren’t they gorgeous?? Perhaps now I should buy a black light?
Okay. This is what I really want to say to you in case you’re needing some motivation tonight: Difficult times are temporary. They do not last forever, and you can do lots to minimize the torture. When you realize you’re in the middle of a difficult time, take action. Meet your own needs, intelligently. Rest a bit and don’t make it all worse on yourself by magnifying your troubles with a downward spiral imagination. Put some boundaries on it, you know? Draw a box around the whole thing (whatever is bothering you) and remind yourself that This too shall pass. Then smile. Smile about it from deep down inside your belly, and let it spread all throughout your system: Your physical self, your mind, your emotions, your spirit. Let a sense of optimism settle in and crowd out your problem.
It will work. This past week was so rough for me, in lots of ways I will explore later. But it ended up affecting my running, which further affected my mood, etc, you know that drill. I scraped together the miles I needed last week then spent most of this past weekend on the couch or in a lawn chair. When Monday of Taper Week rolled around I felt slightly panicked; but having drawn that imaginary box around the black cloud, I was able to pick up my energy and take control of my time again. I am ending this first day of the new week feeling really happy and truly optimistic about everything that’s been worrying me. Including this upcoming race.
Okay, new shoes don’t hurt. I might be unnaturally happy about my new Ravenna 6’s. But who’s to say that it wasn’t the positive vibe turn around that got us to the show store? Not me. I won’t say that’s impossible.
Be happy, friends. We are all facing big problems and serious heartache. I sure don’t mean to downplay harsh realities. But time waits for no man, and happiness is well within our grasp, even when life is imperfect. It’s okay to reach for it.
Thank you so much for stopping here!
Smile at the thought.
XOXOXOXO
Hope things settle down for you! Nice shoes! And good luck with the run. I admire you.