What a beautiful picture! I’m glad you had a nice long trip with family and friends. I hope that means you enjoy camping!
I’m glad you padded your numbers before hand. But to mirror back, you said “All my hard work down the drain.” I’m curious…wasn’t that the intention of doing that? So is your hard work down the drain or did you accomplish your goal? Is it reasonable to assume the numbers will ebb and flow, like the tide? Perhaps you’re experiencing Isshinryu code #2 ~ The blood circulating is the same as the moon and the sun. To me, that code says things will come and go. It might be an interesting experiment to see how that perspective might lighten the load of the challenge. Keep up the great work! So excited to do this journey with you!

That’s great you were able to camp for 8 days with family and friends. I find the outdoors to be invigorating, relaxing, and refreshing. It so helpful to have family and friends help motivate you for the challenge. They will be your support throughout this challenge.

I’m glad you enjoyed visiting the Eastern seaboard! I love the hydrangea picture. I had a gorgeous hydrangea bush at my home in Delaware, and this reminded me of it. So you added 6 states to your “now visited” list. How many have you been to? Do you hope to visit all 50?

That’s a beautiful picture with all the colors of the flowers. I am glad you visited the east coast with your family to make wonderful memories.

How exciting! I’m so glad you both took time to refresh & rejuvenate! This 13-month challenge is like a marathon, yet it’s so intense we need to pace ourselves. Some days I do extra so that I can rest others. Taking the moments to rest will refuel you as you continue. Celebrating you both doing some self-care!

I had a lot of fun on this trip with you!!😀

That’s a beautiful place to visit. It’s awesome you walked so many miles in such a scenic place. That’s such dedication to spar in the morning before leaving. Good job to you both.

Olivia, it sounds like you’re working really hard and truly dedicating yourself to the challenge. May the satisfaction you feel as you progress along this path add to your motivation and diligence!

Let’s find some ways to help you with your sparring numbers some more. If you are here and there are other classes happening up front, see if you can grab another student to spar with, even if it’s a young one. You can “pull” them out of their regular class to get some extra time in the back. For the student, it’s a great opportunity to get some private time with a great instructor and partner. I’m also always happy to spar with you anytime as well!

That’s great that you’re working hard to catch up on numbers. The summer allows you more time to train. Also now you have partners to help you catch up on numbers. Keel it up.

Elinor, I love the motivation you found to help you get your miles in on your bike! We have 4 cats at our house, so we are cat lovers. I’m reminded that there’s an island in Japan that has many stray cats, and if I recall correctly, people live there for free (or mostly for free) if they care for the cats. I’m happy you found a way to build this habit into your day and to bring yourself some joy!

Your commitment to making it happen, no matter what, has not gone unnoticed. It looks to me like you completely attacked this first month! Now you just have to do it 12 more times. 👍

I am glad the cats help keep you motivated in bike riding. It’s enjoyable to meet new cats in different neighborhoods. Congratulations on completing your first month. The some of the numbers are on track to finish early. That’s great.