Canceled! That’s a word we are seeing a lot these days. Keeneland - canceled. Kentucky Derby - canceled. the Chris Stapelton and Willie Nelson Concert - canceled. This morning I received an email informing me the Lululemon Sea Wheeze half marathon in August is canceled! I’m writing this blog on April 29th … three and a half months before the date of the race. This is becoming our new norm.

I am in a women’s group here in Lexington, KY with about a dozen other women all within about a 10 year age range. We are varied in careers, kids, stay at home, own a business, and such. One thing we do share is a desire to connect with other women, to grow emotionally, and to support each other. Our group began in January 2020. Something about the new decade had everyone feeling so optimistic. This was going to be the year that … fill in the blank. We were each asked to write ourselves a letter in January that we would receive in December of 2020. My letter was full of optimism, goals, dreams, and adventures.

Last night I thought about that letter and it’s comical now. I am choosing to take the approach it is better to find humor and laugh than to cry!

Here are a few of the items that I put in my letter:

1. Vacation more!

2. Attend more concerts!

3. Grow the business!

4. More social events like Keeneland

As you can probably guess - all of those items are pretty much canceled! Getting the letter today about the half marathon being canceled was just one more gut punch. No trip to Vancouver.

I am someone who likes to have things to look forward to. It’s hard right now when my calendar is becoming emptier and emptier due to cancellations out of my control. I need and crave that motivation and anticipation!

What am I doing about it? I am finding new things that can’t be canceled.

This week I reached out to the runners on my Bourbon Chase Relay team (a 200 mile - 12 person race) and invited them to do a virtual relay with me. Each of us is running our three leg distances, recording our times, snapping a picture, and reporting back to the group text. Yesterday I got up early and ran 6.6 miles - my first leg. Without the relay - I probably would have run 4 miles. The banter on our text chain is funny and keeping us all motivated. I have heard from several that they needed this right now, too.

In the month of May, I have decided to go without candy. This is sort of like a heroin addict going cold turkey on heroin … it may not be pretty. But it’s a goal with a timeline and what I need right now. I’ve told a few people -that is key - accountability from others who will ask how I am doing.

I’ve been practicing French on Duolingo and right now I have a pretty good streak going. I want to make it too 125 days straight. It’s a goal with a start and finish date - something I can put on my calendar.

I signed up to do a virtual 5k and I have until mid-may to turn in my time. This means I can make a few attempts to get my best time. It’s going on the calendar.

I am filming on-demand videos a few times a week for www.popsculptlex.com. Once again it’s a date on my calendar and a goal to achieve.

I am getting creative and making new things to look forward to - sure they aren’t a trip to Vancouver to run a half marathon but they are something. I encourage you, too, to find some things to put on your calendar. Replace trips and events with new goals and new pursuits. Maybe your goal is to do a virtual online workout 4 times a week. Maybe your goal is to hit your steps every day. Maybe you want to try a new recipe every week. Maybe you can give yourself a deadline to finish that book you started. Whatever it is … put it on the calendar. Make sure you don’t ‘cancel’ it. We all need a little something to look forward, too!