New Year's Resolutions

Happy New Year everyone.  I do have a tendency to do things late.  Scroll through the New Year's Resolutions pictures.  You'll see lots of different ideas for resolutions that people make each year.  Keep going, there is more below the pictures.

It's already 20 days into the brand new year. 2014. It seems that everyone seems to think that this is their year to shine. Just look at all the boards on Pinterest labeled 2014. I haven't heard from anyone that thinks that this will just be another year down the toilet that is our lives.

   

Most people like to start the new year with a list of resolutions. There are some general themes to resolutions such as weight loss and fitness, improving relationships, improving other areas of our lives. And most of these resolutions are forgotten or guiltily ignored by January 3^rd.

I didn't make any resolutions this year. I don't believe in that whole “another year, a new you” thing. I spent most of last year trying to make some changes in my life. I haven't completed any of my goals yet, but I have learned about many ways to win at this game.

I do believe in goal setting. Resolutions need to be a daily decision to improve oneself rather than a lofty list at a certain time on the calendar. I feel that although we may all need to change huge portions of our lives, only small changes each day can enact true reform.

Over the past few months I have been slowly changing the way I eat.  I've been following a healthy plan during the week and have the weekends free for when I'm not at home (if I am home, I try to eat healthy but differently than on the weekdays). From the many things that I have read over my life about eating healthy, I know that I need more fruits and veggies each day and less of everything else.  I've started to have a daily green smoothie glop mix. That means that for breakfast I get out the 8 cup food processor and fill it with kale, blend, fill the remaining space with a pre-made mix of spinach and other healthy greens (the bag says Spinach Powerhouse Mix), blend, add a banana, an apple, some stevia, 10 baby carrots, 2 celery stalks, 2 C. frozen fruit (large bag with pineapple, mango, peaches, and strawberries), and orange juice to finish filling and blend. If I had flax seed oil, wheat grass, green tea powder, or seaweed, I'd add that too. It depends on the thickness if I try to eat this with a spoon or drink it through a straw. I'm learning to enjoy it. If I still need something after 8 cups of fruits and veggies, I have a piece of high fiber bread with peanut butter. I feel healthier when I eat this way and my body seems to function better. Less joint pain is my favorite side effect so far.

Next I plan, but haven't started, to have another smoothie for lunch. This one however will not be a thick green drink and can include things like milk (or any of the milk substitutes), nuts, coffee, chocolate, etc. This one will be a true smoothie that I can sip down and get on with my day.

For dinner we've been alternating between “as veggie as possible” soup and veggie burgers on whole grain rolls. We really, really liked the buffalo veggie chicken patty with feta cheese.

So, the whole eating thing is planned, under control, and progressing. So on to fitness.

I've always thought that it would be fun (yes, I said exercise might be fun...) to run a marathon. Not the full 26.2, but the smaller ones like a 5K (3 miles), preferably to raise money for some cause. So I finally got motivated to start. Today I start the first concentrated exercise program that I've been on since college. And considering my age, weight, and lack of health insurance...let's hope it goes well... My daughter and I plan to do a couch to 5K program that will take us 15 weeks. The typical couch to 5K program takes 9 weeks. We stretched it out a little longer than the usual program because I'm afraid that since we're so out of shape that slower will be safer.

Aside from those two things. I still have my usual 30 days that I am trying to bring into habit or completion:

Travel

• Plan the details of a get away to visit family.

Just for Fun

• Apply for freebies online.
• Find a new book series to start.

Spiritual Development

• Continue daily gratitude list.

Family and Relationships

• Plan February activities for scheduled time with my man and my family.

Environment

• Finish kitchen organization and keep it that way.
• Find a way to contain the mess that the mini tornadoes cause as they spend time at my house.

 Business

• Start classes.
• Write every day.

Personal Development

• Research communication and intimacy in relationships.
• Research attachment disorder.

So skip those resolutions.  Don't stress if you've already broken them.  Make daily plans to change your life and aim yourself in the direction that you wish to go.  Life is too short to sit around and wait for your fairy godmother to do it for you.  Change takes work.  Put in the work and you will see results.