Towels. Yard. Store. Did I follow up on that email? Sunshine. Book. Wait — is that report due Friday or Thursday? Mow the yard. Ugh, the yard.

That was my brain at midnight. A full committee meeting, uninvited, while I was supposed to be sleeping.

Sure would be nice to sit outside in that sunshine and read my book. Too bad the yard looks like a jungle.

At least it’s putting on a show.

Caption: Proof that something in my backyard has it together. 

I dragged myself into work early and left late. Ten to Twelve-hour days have become a theme lately, and I’ll be honest — there have been moments the past couple of weeks where I have barely held on. I’m a project manager, which means my job is never the same two days in a row, which I love, and also terrifies me daily because I am convinced I will miss something. It stretches me mentally, emotionally, and yes — physically, even from behind a desk. My husband can always tell when I’m stressed by my “stress breath.” I am truly a catch. LOL.

But here’s the thing. Even when this job tests every part of me, I’m not going anywhere. And if I’m going to voluntarily take on the hardest physical challenge of my life on top of it, I’m going to have to figure out how to carry both.

Today I talked to my brother. He’s doing the swim leg of Ironman Rockford 70.3 — his first triathlon. We grew up swimming competitively together, so this is a big deal. We talked about his training, about juggling three kids and a demanding job, about how he just gets it done. I got so freaking excited.

And then something shifted. I started imagining MY race — the start line, the middle miles, the finish. And something in me said I have to do this. This is what I need.

I want to hold onto that feeling. Carry it with me every single day between now and September 2027.

I didn’t train today. Tomorrow is a new day.