Yes, I’ve been terrible about following through on the documentation of this 40-day challenge. Since we last spoke, I went on vacation. For anyone who wonders if they should skip the hoopla of the holidays and head for the tropics, my answer is an unequivocal yes.
In the course of a week, I read a 500-page novel. I played in the sand and swam in the ocean. I got a much-needed massage. I ran, walked, did yoga and played with my 3-year-old. I wrote with paper and pen. I learned how to stay calm when things go wrong, and understood and respected my limitations (more on that in a separate blog post). I’m entering 2010 in a good place.
I’m learning how to live in the moment instead of constantly looking ahead to what’s next. I have a terrible habit of focusing on the next thing. I’ll rush through my run, cutting it short so that I can shift gears for the call that starts in 45 minutes, or I’ll race through lunch to get back to work. Gradually, I’m starting to accept that it’s ok to focus on the here and now and stop worrying about the next thing. Starting on Monday, when I once again open my calendar, I’m going to be setting aside one hour of every day for “me” time. Depending on my schedule, that could be an hour in the morning for a workout, or an hour at night for reading or writing. It will be good training and will likely lead me into my next 40 days.