8pm, 55˚ F. Hermosa Beach, CA.
What am I wearing, you ask? What any Southern California native would wear for an evening walk in this type of severely inclement weather, of course --
Red Nikes, long grey sweatpants, sports bra with a white crewneck sweatshirt that says in bold black letters: “FACE THE MUSIC,” black coat (you need the full visual for this one -- it's a Michael Kors rain coat that falls about mid-thigh... not sporty at all), black beanie.
I almost wore a shearling coat but then switched at the last minute, fearing I may have overdone it. I also considered mittens. God only knows what I would’ve done with ear muffs, had I had some at my disposal.
In my defense, I was walking on the strand and it was a bit windy – I think they call that wind chill?
As I got walking, I saw several other people out jogging – guys wearing shorts and light jackets – that sort of thing. I had to chuckle, take a deep, salty, breath of fresh air, look at the whitecaps of the ocean visible in the dark distance, and think to myself, “I’m so lucky to live here. I’m a ridiculous person and I’m so lucky.”
In that moment I was supremely grateful (and admittedly a little warm in my getup). Here we are in Los Angeles, *suffering through 55 degree weather while people on the east coast (and all over the world) are quite literally freezing (*we are so dramatic). If people across this country – across the world – can manage to be active during the winter, I definitely can do so here in Hermosa Beach (and you can too, wherever you are).
This was a tiny victory for me – getting out and walking on Tuesday night. I said I would do it and I (extremely reluctantly) did it. String together 7 of these small wins and you’ve got yourself a productive, active week in the books.
It’s funny how the universe sometimes (often, I find) gives you a little laugh in the middle of a circumstance that you're taking entirely too seriously. I was literally wearing a sweatshirt that said “FACE THE MUSIC” and that’s exactly the lesson I coincidentally learned that night. Sometimes you just have to face the music and get it done – the workout, the phone call, the dishes, whatever. And sometimes the answer you’re looking for is literally right in front of you – in my case, sprawled across my chest.