Ritualize It
In May 2008 I summited Mount Hood.
In May 2009 I ran a marathon.
In May 2010 spent 10 days backpacking in the Himalayas.
See a pattern here? In 2009 I realized it was the second year in a row that I was accomplishing a physical challenge in my birth month and decided to officially make a ritual of it. Lucky for me we just happened to be backpacking in Annapurna area in May last year so it was a given.
This year, however, was a challenge to come up with my challenge. I thought of a triathlon but the lake where I wanted to swim didn’t open until last week. I really wanted to do a two day backpacking trip, which would be a first for me. Yes, I did just say we did 10 days last year but we didn’t have to carry food or bedding because we hiked from hut to hut. That plan got rained out.
I did accomplish some physical challenges last month and they ended up being mental hurdles as well. In fact, they were more mentally challenging than physically but I’m still saying they count. Hey, it’s my ritual to I get to make up the rules (as I go along :)).
The first was 7 days in a row of yoga. In all my 13 years of practicing yoga I had never gone 7 days straight. It was a challenge to roll my mat out on many days, a little piece of me resisted almost every time, but once I got going it felt awesome and by the end of the week I felt more centered and flexible. I also did 30 Sun Salutations on my birthday-definitely a first!
The second was that20 mile bike ridearound Brooklyn and Manhattan I went on a few weeks ago. Totally mental hurdle! And the old school Schwinn bike I rode with the back peddle brakes was no easy task either! In fact, I went on two 20 mile rides in May, a feat considering my average milage is 10-a week!
For me it seemed only appropriate that I celebrate my life with what makes me feel the most alive-MOVING!!!
Do you have any birthday rituals?
