Thank God it’s March!

I have three favorite months – March, June and October. June is wonderful because it’s the start of summer, of trips to Buckeye Lake and the swimming pool opening. The flowers of spring have bloomed and are here to stay, and festival season kicks off so there’s always sights and places to visit.

October is incredible because the humidity of summer has usually gone away, yet the world around me is warming up. The trees turn gold, orange and red. The crops have come down and the farms south and east of us are busy, selling pumpkins, apples and corn, as well as the other goodies. My boyfriend teases me about it, but this is the month where I have to hit up every petting zoo within a 50-mile radius. There’s something about a farm in October that feels magical.

Additionally, October is Columbus Marathon month. The race is pretty emotional for me, and right after the race – the third Sunday in October – is Sam’s birthday. There’s a lot of love circling around me in October, probably more than any other time of year.

But we’re not quite to June and October is even further away. And today is March 1st, which is the first of my three favorite months.

March is when winter starts to dissolve into spring. The world starts to look less gray and green leaves start budding on the trees again. Days get longer and the sunshine starts to warm up the world. Flowers start poking their heads out. And it’s the month that leads into Good Friday and Easter, which is arguably one of the biggest holy days for Christians. March is simply one of the biggest transformation months of the year, and it’s the time of year where things generally start moving again.

For 28 days and being the shortest month of the year, February seemed to drag on an excruciatingly long time. Part of it has to do with the weather. It’s pretty much guaranteed that if we don’t have any major snow in January, then we’re going to get hit with a heavy snow and ice storm in February that shuts down the city. That storm came and last week, the remnants of it finally melted away. I can appreciate winter and love snow when it’s immediately falling, but after a week or two, it’s time for some spring and sunshine.

On top of that, February was an emotionally challenging month. The good news on the job searching front is that I am getting interviews after a period of radio silence … but interviews were as far as it was going. This isn’t my first rodeo with being unemployed and I know finding a job takes a while whether the job seeker is employed or not. I also firmly believe as a Christian that God knows best with timing, and there’s a reason why it’s taking so long.

However, that doesn’t mean I don’t feel restless or anxious from time to time. I’m ready to get back to work, and the restlessness came to a head in February in the form of mild depression. I had no desire to cook or clean or even do fun things like read or play Animal Crossing. I wasn’t exercising regularly, and because I wasn’t getting gross or sweaty, showering took a bit of a backseat.

I realize that last confession is pretty gross, and I would like to reassure you all that I’m on the upswing and have been bathing regularly.

This brings us to today, the first day of March. Every day is a new day for transformation, but March 1st and the month of March as a whole is truly the month of renewal.

Late last week I had an interview and then a follow-up with a company I want to work with, and later this week I’m going in to see the office. I’m optimistic and feeling good about this place, so I have that momentum carrying me forward. This past weekend I deep cleaned my kitchen and cleaned out the cupboards, so everything is in perfect working order and has a home. Spring cleaning mode is activated and this week one of my big priorities is getting my place de-cluttered. There’s something about getting rid of excess crap that promotes clarity and calm. and that’s something we all could use more of.

Now here’s the health and running update. Truth be told, I didn’t run or work out much in February. The desire to be active was gone (that’s depression) and frankly, I just got lazy. Running and being active in the winter is a struggle enough as is. Throw in the fact that all the spring races I wanted to do are either cancelled or virtual, and the motivation to run is pretty much dead. After all, what’s the point if you can’t race and receive some fruits of your labor (i.e. medal and bragging rights?)

But that was then. Today is March 1st, and I’ve decided that once this is published, I’m getting my ass to the gym. I don’t feel particularly motivated today, but who cares – I have a body and mind that needs exercise. And I have a soul that needs purpose, and running is one of the avenues to provide that. So March is my month to get back to business and fitness. I miss my shoulder and bicep definition.

March is a month of renewal, transformation and the world coming back to life. It’s a time to embrace what’s coming and reflect on where we came from … and more importantly, how we overcame the challenges so we know what to do going forward.

So with all that being said, I hope you all have a wonderful day and enjoy a happy, transformative March. May the birds sing for you and the flowers poke their heads out, and may you feel like there’s something lovely around the corner.

Yours in writing,

Allison