Life these days is intense. Likely you can relate. The state of the world isn’t easy. The US elections. Wars. Hurricanes. Life is ever shifting and much of what’s happening isn’t joyful. Thus we are challenged on a daily basis to keep our spirits up. I see it in the eyes of fellow shoppers at the grocery store.
Thankfully, I have a solid circle of friends. We bolster one another as we individually and collectively navigate these times. Plus, I see a wise, smart therapist three times a month. And I go in for acupuncture nearly every week. These two hold space for me as I hold on through medicine-induced depression, a newer experience for me.
I have a good toolbox of strategies to stay healthy and as upbeat as possible. One is I walk twice a day with my dog Sam who keeps me laughing at his love of scampering by the Mississippi River and rolling on his back in the grass mid-walk. Another is I make a concerted effort to sleep 8 to 9 hours every night. A third thing I work to do everyday is eat non-processed, organic, home-cooked food.
Best of all, I intentionally look for the good that is happening around me.
For October, I’ve got three good things to share with all of you. Thanks for reading along. And please, consider leaving a comment and telling me at least one good thing happening in your world.
Good Thing #1 – Speedy Success, The Twin Cities 10-mile race
October 6th, 2024 was the Twin Cities in Motion Marathon and 10-mile race. I was signed up for the 10-mile. I had done my third half marathon of 2024 on September 8th and it was one of the hardest and slowest races possibly ever. I was very disheartened and worried that this third cancer was perhaps slowly destroying me. Nonetheless, I prepared for the 10-mile race as if everything was going to be okay.
I slept really well all week. I ate very clean the whole week. I minimized my daily stress with intention and care. Race morning I woke up and the weather was PERFECT. Zero humidity. Temps in the 40’s. I grabbed my race nutrition, turned down my pump and headed over to my pal Katie’s house to drive to the race finish in downtown St Paul, where we boarded buses to take us to the race start in Minneapolis.
As we lined up to race, I could feel in my entire body that today was a good day to be running. I felt strong and loose. My blood sugar was perfect and it appeared my insulin was working well. I had a solid diabetes plan in action.
The course is hilly and requires lots of focus and strength. My finishing time was a PR (personal record) 3 minutes faster than any of the other 10-mile races I’ve done (see chart, I haven’t done that many 10-mile races in my life). I like to keep learning.
During this race, I learned a few things about my body:
#1. The weather really matters. I don’t sweat very well and humidity kills me. I overheat, get dizzy and slow WAY down. I can’t push my body when heat and humidity go up. Race day, it was cool and nearly zero humidity. Big win for me. I could push and succeed. I was able to run faster on several of the uphills. That was SO FUN!!
#2. Sleep is crucial. I struggle with sleep. (Due to childhood trauma) so it’s often a toss up how sleep will go for me. As I mentioned, the week before and especially the two nights before I slept really, really well. Again, that allowed me to push my body on race day! And push I did.
#3. So much of a race is the mental game. My mantras were: “Find the awe” and “Listen to this body” and “I am strong” They worked!!! I kept looking around as I raced and noticed the light reflecting on the colorful fall trees, on the kindness of my fellow racers, at the cheering of the many spectators, so much awe. I let myself be with how it was and WOW. It worked!!!
Good Thing #2 – Tri Beginners Luck Podcast
One of the best ways to promote a recently published book is to be a guest on as many podcasts as possible. It got really difficult for me to pitch myself to podcast hosts with this medicine-induced depression. As a result, I gave up on pitching for a while.
At the YWCA Minneapolis Women’s Triathlon, which I volunteer at, organizing with my friend Jenny Thompson, the packet-pickup process, I met the MC, Michanda Myles, known in the triathlon/race announcing world as @MichandaShines. I gave her a copy of my book, Extreme Healing. Turns out she has a triathlon podcast! We agreed back in August that I’d come on as a guest.
We made it happen. Take a listen right here. Please let me know what you think. We had a lot of fun chatting and connecting. We both tell some fun stories! Hoping I have courage and energy again to pick up the pitching. If you know of a podcast I could or should be on, please let me know.
You can find the podcast on all the podcast platforms. Here it is on PodBean: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-6c4yc-1717ad6
Here it is on YouTube.
Good Thing #3 – The NYC Big Book Award
My publishing team at Mandala Tree Press entered my book for a few awards. Just found out Extreme Healing won at the NYC Big Book Awards in the Distinguished Favorite in Cancer category. Perfect for October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the month that I found out I had breast cancer for the first and the third time.
There you have it, three good things for October, one of my favorite months of the year.
Remember, please leave a comment, tell me at least one good thing that’s happened in your life this month.
I loved your concise and clear opening on this blog. Such solid wisdom shared in your usual generous way.
A podcast I just learned about this morning from Carin in Johannesburg is Sounds True: Insights at the Edge – Sounds True makes great audiobooks etc
Something good over here is I enjoyed celebrating a close friend who I call my mutual big sister. Thanks for adding to the birthday bouquet Mari.
Thank you Linda!! Thanks for your very kind words about how I share. I appreciate that! And yes, I’ve been listening to Tami Simon of Sounds True in her podcast Insights at the Edge for a while now. Tami is incredibly wise and has incredible guests. Funny, I never even considered pitching to her team. Ah that whole, “I’m not good enough” demon rises up at the oddest times in the oddest ways. Might have to breathe deeply and pitch away!! Glad you enjoyed celebrating a close friend! And you bet, glad to join in on the birthday bouquet your organized! With love always!!