Today my husband took us to this little know gem of a place and we got to walk around and enjoy the fresh air and see art that is built on nature and into nature. It was quite magical. Even though it was a 45-minute drive from home it felt light-years away from any city.

It was a good reminder that I don’t have to travel far to be in a completely different environment. And that I don’t have to travel far to be in a completely different mindset either.

I didn’t want to go today. In fact I didn’t want to do anything. It took a lot of energy to get out of bed this morning let alone to leave the house. But, as always, I am sitting here and feeling grateful that I went.

And maybe one day I can be better about yielding to whim too.

Yes to nature, yes to saying yes. Yes to doing it anyway.

#yearofyes #karenikayearofyes

How are we already 90 days into 2021??

I have not been leaving the house enough this week and thus not enjoying enough of the sunshine that California is lucky to have this week.

Tomorrow I will make a point to go outside.

I still can’t really think of anything pithy to say. The days have been really tiring here and by the time it’s 7pm, I feel completely spent.

Looking forward to saying goodbye to March which is historically one of my least favorite months. And looking forward to April which promises to bring in a lot of change and celebration and maybe just maybe if we’re lucky, some vaccination.

I’m really hoping April proves to be an excellent month. Saying yes to April and what it might bring. Yes to what is.

#yearofyes #karenikayearofyes

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