Before the pandemic came, Jake would take me climbing and I would do 2-3 routes and I was ready to go home. 45 minutes was plenty for me.

This past Saturday, we had an appointment from 6-8pm in San Francisco. We got there 5:58pm so we were the first people in.

We left 8:02pm. We were the last people out.

I took this shot on our way out. This is what they do to the ropes at the end of the night to put things away. And it was a symbolic moment for me as I realized that I could have easily gone another hour. I was having a lot of fun and I felt like I still had some strength left in me.

It’s not often I can see progress. Even as I’ve been climbing harder routes, I didn’t realize that my stamina was also improving until that moment.

Earlier this week j had a similar experience while doing my 10-minute core class. There was a move i couldn’t do at all and then suddenly I could do it. I have no idea what changed but I am so grateful.

Side note: I know my climbing posts might be getting tiring but….my kids are now older and prefer not to be photographed, I work 70% of my awake time, the rest of the time I’m either reading or climbing. It’s pretty much the only place I go if I am leaving the house. Once I get my shots I am excited to post photos that aren’t climbing or flowers. But that still appears to be at least two months away.

Yes to getting stronger and yes to increasing the my stamina. Yes to leaving it all on the gym floor. And yes to paying attention.

#yearofyes #karenikayearofyes

Loving the backyard. Grateful for warm weather and slow days.

This morning I’ve started a slightly different routine, we’ll see if it sticks. I’ve also spent the whole day reading a book from beginning to end.

Now off to climbing.

Yes to quiet Saturdays and long weekends.

#yearofyes #karenikayearofyes

I was journaling this morning and I had a huge moment of insight. On average this happens more often than not when I journal.

I write stuff down that I don’t even realize that I am thinking or feeling and then I see it on paper and I am like whoa!

This is one reason I wish I journaled more. I’ve been very intermittent with it. But this morning I did and it was very meaningful.

Which I hope will encourage me to do it again tomorrow morning.

Yes to writing it down. Yes to journaling.

#yearofyes #karenikayearofyes

By noon today I was already deeply wishing it was Friday. I am finding that my mood is all over the place. I can be euphoric and super frustrated and really angry and full of anxiety all in the span of a few hours.

Which means by the time the day is over, I feel like I have emotional whiplash.

There’s so much in the world I don’t understand and feel powerless against. There’s so much in my own life I feel I can’t control. There’s so much about myself I am often struggling with.

And at any moment, any one of those things can make my mood swing in a particular direction. Then add my husband, kids, friends, family to the equation. Then add the news. Then add the pandemic. And I am just done.

So today I am sitting here, feeling tender and sad and angry and a little broken with the weight of all that.

And right now, I’m saying yes to being here with all this. To letting myself be tired.

Tomorrow I will get up and try all over again. Because giving up is not an option.

Yes to being with it all and yes to showing up and doing it anyway.

#yearofyes #karenikayearofyes

The people who built our house made choices that conflicted with each other. They put a large, deep tub in our bedroom and then they put a small water heater that ran out of hot water before the tub filled about halfway.

When I was younger, one of my favorite ways to relax was to fill the tub, grab my book, some fruit and a delicious drink and soak in the tub for hours.

It’s one of the few ways I can relax fully into the present moment.

After we moved in, it quickly became clear I wasn’t going to be able to take baths in this house. My wonderful hubby thought of some crazy, creative ideas that involved having two simultaneous kettles going and mixing boiling water with cold water to fill the tub. The amount of effort required overshadowed the peace pretty heavily.

Ten years passed and I pretty much gave up on taking baths.

Then this past winter, it was finally time to get a new heater. This is when we had the option to spend a little more upfront and get a tankless heater. I knew that this could mean I could take baths again. But at this point I’d forgotten all about how it felt and wasn’t sure it was worth the money after all.

But we did it anyway. ( For a multitude of reasons including this. )

At first, I didn’t take any baths even though I now could. I had made up stories about how I didn’t really need it or how it was a waste of time or water.

But then I decided to commit to one bath a week for my 100 days of radical wellness project.

And once I started there was no going back.

I remembered how calming and relaxing it feels. Like a warm hug all over. Like all the weight is lifted off my body and soul. Like I can release all that I’ve been dragging around with me.

And now I’m wondering what else have I talked myself out of in the last ten years. What else am I missing out on? How can I recover it?

Yes to baths and relaxing and yes to re-finding the calm and serenity they give me.

#yearofyes #karenikayearofyes

Little boy and I ventured out into the world today. Just for 30 minutes, we drove to a small coffeeshop/bakery and had a croissant and coffee and dessert.

And it was magical.

I did a lot and nothing today and now I sit here, wiped, and look back upon my day and wonder where it all went.

This is part of the year of yes for me. Yes to having unexpected days. Yes to socializing so much in one day that the introverted side of me feels completely depleted. Yes to helping my husband for a long time. Yes to taking little boy out into the world for the first time in months and months. Yes to being there for others.

It’s ok if today wasn’t planned. Yes to what is.

I want to be able to sit here with what is and be not just but grateful for it all. For how full life is. Books will be here forever. But people won’t. So here’s to celebrating the people today.

Yes to connection. Yes to social time. Yes to unexpected days.

#yearofyes #karenikayearofyes