These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

Just at this very moment, we have sunshine in Bellingham. Have I ever mentioned that sunshine is one of my very favorite things? I love what it does to me. Sunshine lifts my mood, gives me permission to smile and invites me to take my dogs for a walk. I have other favorite things that make me happy just because they exist.

But February has been a hard month for me. It started well enough - with a fabulous writing workshop that left me reveling in the glow of other creative types. Unfortunately, this was followed by a series of bad news phone messages about sudden illnesses befalling people that matter to me. The most recent difficult news was that my dear friend and confidante had her beautiful, healthy baby girl, but also had serious complications post delivery. Since my girlfriend is someone I can't do without, I was overwhelmed with concern for her and her whole family as they waited in ICU for her body to heal.

It wasn't until after I was sure she was on the mend that I crashed and gave in to a good long cry, holding my delayed grief and fear with as much compassion as I could muster in my tired state. That was last Saturday. Sunday I went out for a six mile run and spent more than an hour with my distracted thoughts, letting them come and go as they pleased.

Now, finally, on Thursday, I'm calmer and have caught up on all the things I didn't do around my house last week. I'm looking at the sunshine outside my window and reflecting on what gives me joy, even during the hard things.
Here's my short list:

Watching people meet their goals. Whether I'm watching a client finally take that first step to live out her lifelong creative dream to become a writer or watching a budding marathoner take on his training with a vengeance (as I'm doing in the case of my friend Brandon Nobach), I adore seeing people's faces when they start to move in their preferred direction.

Nonprofits that do good work. I could list a hundred non-profit organizations that make me happy, but two of my favorites are Street Youth Ministries and the Bellingham Sister City Association. One supports homeless and disenfranchised young people in getting off the streets of Seattle, and the other facilitates "people to people diplomacy" between Americans and individuals from other cultures around the world. Yay for good work. It reminds me that there is balance in this life.

Talking with people who hold different world views. Every time I travel, my taken-for-granted ideas about life and right and wrong are challenged. That's a good thing because it makes my own world feel bigger. When I can't travel, I read. Right now I'm reading Radical Acceptance: Embracing your life with the heart of a Buddha by Tara Brach. Buddhism offers some interesting ways of approaching pain and longing. My mind is expanding as we speak....

Dogs. As is well documented (because I say it all the time), I love dogs. Mine both need baths at the moment, but as stinky as they are, I'm gonna let them curl up on my lap and give me some of their happy-just-to-be-with-you warm energy today.

Friends. I have the best friends in the world, of that I'm sure. My friends have cried with me through the darkest of times and shared good times of hilarity with me, too. Right now, I'm making new friends during my Monday and Wednesday workouts with Carol Frazey and her Fit School for Women. When women run together, they inevitably share their thoughts and dreams and griefs with one another. There's always room for a new friend, don't you think?

Love. Last but not least, I love being in love. Valentine's day was only ten days ago. Bill and I reconnected with each other nine years ago in February and we always celebrate getting reacquainted on Valentine's day. I am grateful and peaceful nowadays largely because I have him in my life. On a hard day, he's the best medicine.

So, when the dog bites, when the bee stings, when you're feeling sad... what makes you happy again? What are your favorite things?

Getting to the Core of the Issue

Session two of the 6-Week Fit School Running/Walking Program is under my belt as of this morning. On Monday, Carol had us do a one-mile time trial. I came in at 9:33, and I seriously can’t see how anyone can run the mile any faster than that (though I’ve witnessed it with my own eyes).

Today we ran fast on the straight part of the track and slow on the curves for fifteen minutes. Then we did “the ladder”: One minute fast, one slow; two minutes fast, one slow – and so on. This was followed by some core work.

I cannot tell a lie. I hate core work and my core is, thusly, very weak. At a “kettlebell” workout (I think that’s what it’s called) I went to recently with a friend, the instructor told me that he could see my core was not strong, but reassured me that a weak core was normal for women who had given birth. When I told him I’d never had children he raised his eyebrows and said, “Are you sure?” Um… Yeah, I’m pretty sure.

So, since I’m in the throes of having to come up with goals for the Fit School Program, I’m thinking that strengthening my core should be on the list. The core is, after all, well… the center of your body where all your guts live and off of which your limbs grow. It’s important, the core.

Other goals include but are not limited to: improving running technique, stretching better, longer and more often, getting my workout over in the morning two days a week, making new friends and running stronger. Notice that running the mile faster is not on my list.

What are your fitness goals right now?