November 2011

2011

November is always a difficult month for me. I have my reasons: the loss of daylight, the change in the Wisconsin weather to much cooler, often stormy days and my kids getting sick (and then me, too). This year will be especially challenging because we are rolling off a fantastic October in which twelve glorious days of it was spent in Hawaii.

Our trip to Kona for the 2011 Ironman World Championships was a blast. We took a different strategy for the trip and the race and it paid off in spades, for all of us. Not only did Joe have his best performance in Kona to date, going a 10:08, we all returned home with smiles on our faces from the wonderful experience we had.

So, living aloha in Wisconsin in November is tough. But we are supposed to take time to be especially thankful this month, right?  I have a plan to fight back on October and be appreciative: I am going to change my attitude. I know it is going to be tough but I think I can do it for just one month. A bite-sized chunk. Through appreciation and more reflection, I think I can be less down this month. Beyond my required nighttime prayer, how will this working Mom of three make time to appreciate and reflect on anything?

I am committing to yoga with Rodney Yee (a DVD) four days a week. Those of you who do yoga are nodding your head and smiling because you know that this time is simply the best for our spirit and our body. I am going to spend the first half of my yoga sessions appreciating everything about my day, my week and the second half of my session thinking about my purpose for the day. If I am doing yoga at night, I am going to think about my purpose for the following day. It is going to be great! Who knows, I might find myself doing this practice every single day. Watch for updates on my Twitter and Facebook sites. I encourage you to give it a try. Let me know your progress via email.

Also in November, I will be participating in National Write a Novel Month. This worldwide informal and formal club requests writers to write 1500 words each day of November. By the end of the month, you have quite a novel on your hands. I plan to write a sequel to my nonfiction, The Competitor in Me. Yes, there is more adventure, mystery and drama as I go after my next goals. The doubt demons never give up and so there is always a story to tell.