As the school year approaches, I often feel like I’m getting swept into a windstorm—forms to fill, lunches to plan, and schedules to juggle. I have had more conversations with my mom clients in the past several weeks about the overwhelming feelings we encounter as school approaches. It has challenged me to consider ways to counter this by choosing a rhythm of recentering.

Had a fantastic opportunity to discuss PMDD with Valerie Elser and Eleny Bunn, podcast hosts of "Not So Private Parts." Eleny brought a unique perspective with her lived experience.

I started running during my last year in medical school and found it to be a nice place of solitude, reflection and discipline. It is truly a time where I can let go of all the hats and just be free. So I generally prefer to run alone. However, races bring another level of excitement and encouragement from others, but also a bit of pressure to perform well coming from within me and outside of me. I was able to run my first race in a long time after returning from an injury. As I ran the race, I really had to focus on not looking back and running my own race without the pressure of comparing myself to others. I just focused on pressing forward no matter who passed me by.  The first several miles of the race felt really good and fun. However, that last mile I just wanted to give up. I started walking and a man running by me said  “ Come on we got this! We're almost there it gets better its all down hill from here.” That. Really. Encouraged. Me. 

I have a good friend who does not create vision boards, new year resolutions or goals until February or March.  I always thought it was odd, but now see the purpose in this. There is so much hype and excitement towards the end of the year and the new year that sometimes it's hard to plan and really decipher what is needed for growth in a new year. 

It is our truth that we do not always fit in in every circle. I have learned that my truth is that though I may feel like I don't fit in I am still chosen to belong. That despite my preferences, my will, sometimes where I live, where I work, who he has given to me is exactly what he has designed for me.  So in these situations where I feel like I don't fit, that I'm different, that I'm not as outgoing, as eloquent, as glamorous: He says YET I chose you to belong here.