What is November Project Malaysia? Or at least what I intended it to be:
This is your tribe! #Justshowup because we are so glad you are here and we love the shit out of you!
Blogs from the other NP Malaysia co-leaders Ing and Harry have given you their perspective of November Project and what it means to them and this city. Initially, I wasn’t going to three-peat with a “What November Project means to me” blog but something happened recently that challenged my believe and impression of November Project. As the co leader of a new tribe, I needed to re-affirm this to my immediate community.
Whatever your reason for showing up, just know that the tribe is there to support you. This is where strangers become friends. Find your tribe, love them hard!
Kelly, Joann, Mark and Dunstan; post group picture pose.
My immediate community is every individual that choose to #justshowup on Wednesday mornings, it is every individual that have tried to spread awareness and recruit their colleagues, friends and family for us. My immediate community is also Miri the city I live in and the people I interact with on purpose or by coincidence because one day, they may show up to a November Project Malaysia workout. On a bigger scale, my community is everyone who has been to a November Project workout, social, summit, and ECS who believes in the purpose and the good that is this global movember Project for what it stands for has been an inspiration since 2013 when I came across *Andrew Ference’s tweet about an early morning workout. I have followed them from afar with my own version of free fitness; providing Mirians with an avenue to get fit outdoors at zero cost while doing what we can to raise funds for local charity. The biggest draw about November Project to me was what it does for a community and city and that is still true to this day. As this movement continues to grow, I believe more and more people are seeing the good that it is and what it can do.
I was passionate about bringing November Project to Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia because I wanted to expose Mirians to this amazing concept of free fitness that is community focused. I also believe that you shouldn’t have to pay for fitness, that there are people willing to support and encourage each other without agendas and these initial strangers with common interest can become friends. The positivity and vibe created in this small group could spread to others they come across in their daily lives and eventually make Miri a better place.
At NP Malaysia, if you are okay with it, we will hug the shit out of you…(Yi Ting and Ing are Huggers)Hi5’s are good too… human contact comes in many forms, whichever you are comfortable with is fine with us, but the encouragement and support is coming; like it or not!
For those who have never been or don’t know what November Project Malaysia is about, we meet every Wednesday morning at 5:15AM (regardless of weather) on top of Bumiko Hill. This 45 minutes consist of the a short introduction, a “bounce”, some human contact in the form of hugs and hi5s, a challenging 30-40 minutes of workout with lots of encouragement from co leaders and each other. Finally, we take a group photo, do announcements,birthday celebrations and some form of positive message or homework focused on pushing oneself or betterment of community. This is just what we do here, break the ice, offer human contact and connection, work our asses off, acknowledge the hardwork and send everyone off with positive vibes to carry them throughout the day. An extension of all this is the willingness to support and help each other (within the tribe and hopefully transcends to neighbors and strangers) even when it comes to matters outside of the workout.
This is what November Project means to me and what I intended it to be. Above all that, I wanted a place where people can come and belong (inclusive is the word we have been throwing around). November Project Malaysia is for everyone in the literal sense of the word. I don’t care how young,old, fast, slow you are, what shape or size, gender, religion, etc as long as you are willing to give us 100% on the workout and brings positivity/can do attitude to the tribe, then this is your tribe. November Project Malaysia is also a place for everyone to be comfortable in their own skin and be who they are with the respect for others in mind. Being sincere and genuine to each other in accomplishments and challenges without agenda.
Supporting each other and strangers during a run, spreading some #NovemberProject love. That is what we do for the community.
With that said, I want to touch on the NP anonymous blog, the shift of culture PSA and talk about the human contact factor of NP/NP Malaysia. In terms of culture and practice, it is important to note that hugging strangers or even a handshake may not be common practice or at times permissible in Malaysia. We as a tribe have come a long ways as well, all all that we have build and establish will remain. This means while we certainly encourage hugging in the past, it is not mandatory. If a simple nod is all that you are comfortable with, or a high 5 or perhaps a fist bump, it is okay with us. If you are a hugger and likes to hug, thats great! but we ask that you seek for consent to ensure the other party (the huggee?) is open to hugs. I want November Project Malaysia to be a place where it is okay to share your thoughts and feelings when it comes to how a certain interaction makes you feel after all, #thisisyourtribe. At the end of the day, “no means no” and we need to be respectful of that even if it means our feelings and ego gets a ruffled up. Forcing yourself on someone or ignore someone else’s space is not tolerated here. This concept should apply not just to hugs and human contact, it should apply to all interactions that puts you in an awkward situation. Mutual respect for everyone is what we strive for around here, and we hope this carries onto the other aspects of live outside the tribe.
To me November Project Malaysia isn’t about me, it should be about what I can do for the tribe and I hope that messages resonates loud and clear with my actions as a co leader. I encourage everyone in my tribe to do the same. #Justshowup and workout, push yourselves and each other physically, have fun, be weird and silly but at the end of the workout, or your day, ask yourself, how have I made someone else’s day or the community better? This is what I intended November Project Malaysia to be.
“I believe I can fly”… sometimes, I don’t even know what I am thinking…but the laughs and siles are worth it!
Other notes:
All the best to the tribe members running in the Kuching Marathon tomorrow. #Seahorse #NP #Grassrootsgear will be represented.
Next event will be #TheCrateEscape, we need story-tellers so drop your name in the hat. This will be followed by a social so stay tuned to Instagram and Facebook.
I love the shit out of you guys and gals! See you next Wednesday!
Ridley
Andrew Ference, for those who don’t know is a former NHL Player who played in Boston, where he joined November Project. He signed as a free agent in Edmonton (I am a huge Oilers Fan – don’t hate) and that is how November Project Edmonton (Canada) started.
