“November’s almost shot!” I wrote in my journal this morning. Time can sneak by us, no matter how intentional we try to be, how present we try to stay.

In fact, sometimes the harder I try to pin down this moment, the faster it hastens by.

So it goes!

However, time travel remains one of my very favorite hobbies. I practice it all sorts of ways.

• Maxing out my retirement contribution matching funds (you are so welcome, Future Caitie).
• Leaving myself calendar reminders for milestones (you’re almost at 2 years, Sober Caitie!).
• Spending time thinking about “by this time next year…”

I wrote a few weeks ago about my sudden but strong desire to try a half-marathon. I called it my “stretchy November project.” A few of you have told me you are also intending to be there at the Good Life Halfsy in Lincoln next November. No promises about what shape I’ll be in or what pace I’ll be going, but I intend to bring my whole self too!

Part of why I’m so delighted about this race (“race” is relative!) is that I’m giving myself a luxurious timeline. The thought occurred to me on race day, so the me that will be participating in 2024 will have a full year to grow.

I also want to use this time as an opportunity to build some community. I’ve had so many friends lately talking to me about their craving for structure and accountability—colleagues in business, old friends finishing graduate school, community members facing their own rough roads.

If you’re in this boat, I’m planning on creating monthly updates related to this project, posts I’ll leave here full of cheerleading and reflection! I know I could use some structure going into my own Stretchy November Project, so this endeavor is also serving some needs of mine.

The timeline will run November to November, so if you have anything in your life that’s just now germinating and may be sprouting around November 2024, sign up here for a dose of monthly encouragement (and all the other things I end up posting to this blog!):

Cheers!