As my friend Chris Payne would say, “Welp… that happened.” 156 November Project workouts in 2017 are in the books as of this morning. And that’s just in Boston. It’s been a long time since the very first one back in 2011, and NP is pretty much the same. And a lot has changed. In all the time NP has been in my life, it’s taught me a lot, but this one lesson is pretty prominent, especially at this time of year: You can always stay true to the core of who you are, but if you want to really live, you have to keep growing. Growth usually means change, evolution, the blurring, pushing, and expanding of boundaries, and taking some risks. Growth isn’t always comfortable. But if we can focus on the journey of newness–and celebrate the awe and wonder of who we are and what we’re capable of as a result of hard-earned growth, then the struggle becomes not only tolerable, but a welcomed sign that we’re getting somewhere.
My question to you all, who choose to read this one of 156 blogs in 2017, is how has November Project changed you? How have you grown since showing up your first time? How did it affect you that one time you climbed stairs or ran up steep steep Summit Ave? Who do you know now, but didn’t before? How are you different…?
I believe that for some, showing up to NP clarifies that this group fitness cult thing isn’t for you. And for others, it becomes a good option for a workout once in a while, like when you know you should do something more than walk around the block and you’ll never go to the stadium by yourself. And for many others still, showing up to NP becomes a reliable part of the fabric & structure of your life. Days get accounted for by whether you went to NP yesterday or today. Clothes become favorites because they’re tagged #grassrootsgear. The people you see most often at workouts begin to become friends, and if you’re on your recruiting game, your friends start showing up to workouts with you because you seem to love it so much, they just have to try it.
But for all of us, showing up has impacted us. And at this time of year — during this pause to exhale 2017 and steady ourselves before we breathe in all that 2018 has to bring — I think it’s a good time to actually answer the question, how has November Project changed you? I believe that if we answer that question, if offers some insight into how we keep moving forward, relentlessly progressing in the new year, with some purpose and intention. Remember the story about how BG and Bojan wanted to get & stay fit while keeping their wallets in their pockets and their motivation strong? How they wanted to drop the excuses and fall in love with fitness again? They had a reason they were doing it. As much as they tell you they didn’t know what the fuck they were doing, they did. They had purpose and intention for themselves, and it was so true–so to the core of who they are as human beings–it spread and grew and became the movement we know and love today. And I believe we should seek our own purpose and intention because when we are living up to it, we only serve to help more people experience what we have through NP and this greater community of kind, fierce, awesome human beings.
I’ll go. NP has changed me by allowing my most loving self to be more prominent than my perfectionistic self. It reminded me what it means to be an athlete–something I value deeply and had lost sight of in the years after being an athlete in college. And that through my movement and the commitment to continue challenging myself physically, I am still an athlete and that makes me proud. NP has made me a faster runner, and a more confident competitor. November Project has taught me to have fun while competing–and that sometimes having all the fun is the best way to win. NP has allowed me to discover that the Tribe is indeed strong. I worry about a lot less in the world because I’m certain that no matter what I might need or whatever challenge I face, if I needed help, I would be able to find it through this incredible community. And in the effort to not go on for days, I’ll wrap it up by saying that NP has profoundly changed me by giving me the opportunity to give and receive on a level I never realized was possible. When I first started showing up, the more effort I gave, the more results and accomplishments I got back out of it. The more I put myself out there to meet people, learn names, and shout (or whisper) encouragements during workouts, the more I saw the excitement on others’ faces when I was there and heard their encouragement coming at me. And as a co-leader for the last 3+ years, I’m aware of how much I give to the tribe, but I’m blown away that what I receive back is always more than what I give. Maybe I’m lucky (for lots of reasons), because I’m sure not everyone feels exactly the same way as I do. But I’m confident that both in November Project and in the rest of life, if you allow yourself to give fully, the only outcome is for that fullness to come back toward you.
And now that I have a chance to reflect on some of the ways NP has changed me, I get to think about how I want to be intentional as a member of this tribe going into 2018. I want to set physical goals and strive towards them this year. I want to PR on my full tour in the stadium and PR on burpees in a Sebastian. I plan to figure out how to run a half-marathon faster than my brain keeps telling me I can. I will continue to do pushups every day with a goal number for the year. And it’s my goal to learn more names and use them at workouts. (but seriously, help me with that by showing up–I learn your names so much easier when you’re there all the time). It’s my goal to have fun and to laugh at every single workout in 2018. And I intend to both talk to more people from NP outside of workouts (give me a shout, I like you!), and also to talk to more people outside of NP about coming to workouts (this is called recruiting).
The Chrises and I have some intentions and goals for our tribe this year too, all based on the experience of NP being just as rich and fulfilling as it has ever been–and to continue to feel new and exciting for all of us. Also, for more of Boston and the whole world to test the waters of or just jump all the way in to NP. This whole movement is so very much about fierce, fun, FREE fitness, and it’s about soooooo much more than that too. I think we can keep growing, giving, and changing the world together as we move forward into 2018.
Let’s start with the very first workout of 2018, the best way to kick off a fresh page on the calendar: DESTINATION DECK on MONDAY Jan 1st. 6:29am will be at Clemente Field in the Fens. See the exact location here in the tracker.
You also still have a couple of days to enter the #NP_PhotoContest. More info here, but get out your GrassrootsGear and get to exploring (and photograph everything!). Post photos on Instagram and use the hashtag #NP_PhotoContest to enter.
This selfie by Bojan won’t win him anything. We can’t see his #GG and he didn’t post it on IG. But he’s really focused. Big ups to him for his photographic genius today–thanks for helping this solo EmSauce out, Papa B.
