Editor’s Notes:
On this week’s edition of the NP CHInsider (we’re accepting recommendations for a new name) we’re excited to have David [Dayved] Tran share his story of finding the Tribe, thinking we’re a bunch of wackos, re-affirming that we’re a bunch of wackos, and finally deciding that he too is wacko enough to have a ridiculous amount of fun sweating his tiny little T-Rex arms off with us multiple times a week all year long. With no further adieu, David Tran.
November Project. “Just Show Up.” Three simple words that are commonplace to November Project Tribes everywhere.
For the longest time, I was a skeptic of November Project. My first real interaction with NP was when I was running the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington D.C. During the marathon, the NP DC Tribe had a cheer station full of people pumping up everyone at the race. Bright signs, neon shirts, animal onesies, etc. Just an absolute madness. A short while later I went to my first workout with NP. A good friend of mine dragged me out to a workout at the Lincoln Memorial and at the end of the workout, I wasn’t convinced NP was for me.
Fast forward to when I moved out to Chicago. I was new to the city and somehow ended up on the NP website. Did some reading, saw Chicago had a tribe, and decided to go the next morning. I met so many people at my first workout in Chicago and it was people just telling me how glad they were to have me there. Now I’ve been doing the “Showing Up” since my first “Just Show Up” in Chicago, and thankful that I did.
So what is the “Showing Up” part? Isn’t it just going to the workout and heading out? It is, but there’s more to it. “Showing Up” is BEING THERE! Saying hi and getting to know someone new, catching up with tribe members you haven’t seen in a while, pushing yourself just to be a bit better, and ultimately supporting your tribe members. Slowly, “showing up” turns into caring about others around you, and that can be pretty scary. You may end up at a member’s presentation, birthday, going away party, dance recital, half marathon in a t-rex costume, whatever. I showed up for the workout and got something more…. a community of caring people who are also “showing up” for one another.
I’ll see y’all at the next workout!
-David
*Former Skeptic, now giving sweaty hugs at Wednesday and Friday workouts
**Also really bad cartoonist – see supplied comic strip [below] of NP_CHI co-tribe leader Chris Clark
If you, like David, want to find out what happens when you “Just Show Up,” come bounce with us every Wednesday and Friday. For exact times and locations, follow November Project Chicago on Facebook and Instagram.
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