In September, my theme for the month was restoration.
I ended August exhausted. After an international trip, my first time experiencing COVID-19, and our biggest & most successful launch in BBA history… safe to say I was ready to pull back and focus on me.
I remember, at the beginning of this month, feeling so fundamentally unsatisfied with my own health status. Summer was long, work had been intense this year, and although I had stuck to my veggie goal this year and made significant progress on it – that was about the only health behavior that has been consistent in the past six months.
I vividly remember checking my apple watch and seeing the sharp drop from my normal monthly step average of 8-9k… down to a whopping 2-3k this summer. Between low movement, choosing food as a way to cope with stress more than I’d like, and the remnants of COVID… I was feeling *not my best* to say the least.
And there was absolutely part of me that wanted to do something extreme. The old version of Karin would have jumped into Whole 30 or some insane workout challenge. She would have created ALL sorts of rigid schedules and protocols for herself because in the moment, that kind of promise made her feel safe. I can officially say I’ve evolved from that stage in my life – which honestly is something I’m very proud of.
So instead, I took the opposite approach. I didn’t set ANY habits or goals for the month. I let go of it all. I made a vision board for how I want to feel, and set off on a journey to survive on vibes alone.
And honestly, it was exactly what I needed.
My gym adherence picked up. The peloton arrived and I feel in love with a quick bike as a stress relief for a long day. Slightly dialing in my nutrition through focusing on protein and fiber had me feeling SO much better within just a few weeks. I started playing with fashion. I wore the leopard print skirt, I put on mascara every morning. I tidied my house and cooked what was on the dinner plan for the week and read at night instead of scrolling.
I distinctly remember about a week ago thinking to myself —
I have truly become the person I have always wanted to be.
If this month taught me any lesson, it’s that I have done the work. If I take a deep breath and let myself relax, I fall into a wonderful pattern of behaviors that I have spent years cultivating. There are moments in coaching where you don’t feel like you’re making any progress, and there are moments in coaching where it feels like everything comes together all at once. Of course, that’s not actually how it works – but I can’t shake the feeling that this month was – professionally and personally – the synthesis and reward of the last to YEARS of deep mindset & behavior change work I’ve been involved in.
Then it came time to decide October’s theme, since I loved September’s so much.
It came to me quickly:
It’s time to believe in magic.
Perhaps it’s the spooky season getting to me, but as I look at the last three months of the year, I feel nothing except curiosity and possibility. As opposed to some previous years where it felt like a hourglass ticking down, this year feels less pressured and panicked and more ripe with openness.
But amongst that curiosity and possibility I do want to integrate a bit more of the structure that has supported me so well. As you probably know, reader, if you happened to have purchased Compassionate Calendar – it is truly a balance of freedom and structure that makes us feel most safe and supported, and it’s up to each of us to play until we find the right balance for us.
In October, I want to continue my restoration project. I want to get my butt onto that Peloton at least 3 times per week. I want to keep loving my long & luxurious gym trips – the ones where I stay off my phone, end the workout with some Zone 2 cardio, and spend time in the Sauna afterwards. During the winter I start craving early morning wake-ups – there’s just something about a 6am warm coffee in front of our (fake) fireplace that is so freaking cozy.
Our Change Academy theme is essentially “Do What Scares You” – so in the spirit of joining our members as they approach and overcome their own fear, here are the scary or intimidating things that i want to experiment with.
One, making my own sourdough bread. Two, getting an early morning walk in. (Intimidating because it’s one of the habits I experience the MOST resistance towards, but a goal nonetheless because it makes me feel SO good after I do). In the same vein, cold showers are on my “to try” list – not because of any special fancy neurological impacts but purely because they make me feel like a badass.
The center of my October vision board which I keep as my desktop background) says “it’s time to believe in magic.”
It’s time to believe in the magic of my body as it grows in muscular & cardiovascular capacity.
It’s time to believe in the magic of a clean home that smells like fresh, warm bread.
It’s time to believe in the magic of early morning journaling – all my thoughts tumbling onto paper before the rest of the world wakes up.
What does your magic look like?
What if the end of the year isn’t about checking off to do lists or surviving holiday travel –
What if it’s about witnessing and allowing the possibility of everything you can become?
