Free Fitness Movement. All you need to do is show up!
HELLO! Mel G here with my last bliggity blog as a leader!
WHAT THE WHAT?!
How does one quantify 6 years of leading?
How do I break this down into words?
How do I take a culmination of hundreds of moments that I won’t forget?
I can’t.
I mean, I could, but that would be WAY TOO LONG and quite frankly some things are best left unsaid.
This phrase has two meanings for me:
This was our theme for this year’s Yearbook Photos and we felt it was an important one. One that would really allow people to truly show themselves, be proud of who they are and allow us to capture a snapshot of their amazing personality. In congruence with this theme, we also asked everyone to proudly wear their Rainbow Tag shirt – this showing that everyone is welcome, that this is a safe space, and that all we want is for you to #JustShowUp.
Good Question, Gina!
Why ISN’T everyone coming to this?
We think it’s pretty great and fun and we get a good workout.
We get to meet like minded people, people who bring something new to the table, loud people, quiet, all different sorts of people with a couple things in common – Fitness and Community.
This question has resonated with me for a couple months now and it’s sparked a lot of thoughts.
In the wake of the one year anniversary of Ahmaud Arbery’s death which seemed to be the visible catalyst for proposed changes, actual changes, moments of “calling out”, moments of “calling in”, moments of trying too hard, not trying hard enough… It goes without saying that November Project has been a bit of a roller coaster … to the point of a former leader asking me “is this the end of November Project?’.
I’m going to be perfectly honest, this sucks. I miss all your faces.
As a leader, when I stood in front of all of you spouting positivity and encouraging words, I hope you know that I meant every word. I mean EVERY WORD. I want to be in your presence as you run around the park early in the morning, with every step becoming healthier, stronger, faster. I love hearing your jokes, banter and laughter. When each and every one of you showed up, rain or shine, it gave me new energy, hope and it lifted me up. I wanted to be better for you.
It wasn’t the typical start to a Wednesday… Our weekly meetups have been dark, with the slow trickle of head lamps and cars scrambling for a parking spot. However, one particular morning, it began with tears. What usually is a simple embrace, became a full on clutching onto/holding the person up as they briefly crumbled. What came next was eye opening…
It’s always fun to ask a random member of the tribe to write a blog about their experience at November Project, or anything they want for that matter. We are still waiting for that epic “When I lost my first tooth story…”.
Joking aside, this blog post is perfect. Perfect for May – Mental Health Month. Perfect because it’s raw and relatable. Perfect because it goes to show you that we aren’t just half-tired zombies congregating in random parks, fields, stadiums all over the world.