Feeling restless with work last January, I had pitched a new product pick/blog concept to my boss.  She liked it and wanted me to take it on.  Well, as with many new endeavors, it didn’t actually get off the ground until a few months later in March, which happened to be the same time I had about four other major projects in the works.  Every night I was working late, eating greasy take-out for dinner at my desk or throwing back cup after cup of coffee and pouring over product shots in the conference room.  I felt like I was in way over my head but typical to my personality, I did what I had to do to make it work—no matter the sacrifice. I was loving what I was doing but I was on the brink of my breaking point; my sanity.  I would finally fall asleep in the wee hours of the morning praying to God that he would get me through the month.  On top of all of this I was supposed to be training for a half-marathon.  I had done well all of February then literally skipped almost an entire month of training because I simply had nothing left to give.

As some of you know, this March I am now in a completely different place.  Rather than working 9-5 from a cubicle with no windows I am working whenever I want to from my dining room table next to a window overlooking Lake Washington. I am following my dream and working on an amazing business concept…but more about that later.  The point is, I am in a place in my life where I am finally calling the shots.  It is a little scary and a lot exciting.

As I was remembering the Wendy’s double cheeseburgers and the 60+ hour workweeks, I realized that for the first time in my life I have the blessing and opportunity to really put myself and those I care about first.  As with many people, I use work to validate myself but for me, I feel like I’ve always taken it too far.  I have let my soul, my very well-being, my spiritual, emotional and and physical self suffer at the expense of pursuing something that will never be “complete” or “good enough.”  If we are living for The Man, we aren’t living for God.

At that moment I resolved to make this March as polar opposite to last March as I possibly could.  You might think that means playing grasshopper and not ant but what I mean is that instead of just FEEDING myself, I will NOURISH myself.  I will nourish myself spiritually, emotionally and physically in all the ways I didn’t last March. Instead of falling asleep during prayer as the sun comes up, I will rise early and set my praise and requests before God.  Instead of working13 hour days so I can feel worthy, I will base my self-worth on the love that God has for me and do my best to show love and kindness to those around me.  Instead of blowing off an entire month of half-marathon training and going to sleep with a burger belly baby, I will practice yoga for 30 days straight and feed my body with the nutrients it needs.

I don’t think this will be easy but it is necessary.  March Madness will take on a whole new meaning.  I will continue to feature posts about training for my half-marathon last year but will also mix in a little here and there about this challenge that I’ve taken on.  I hope you’ll join me.