My youngest daughter left this morning at 6 am with her hubby to go back home to Massachusetts. I miss them terribly already! Which makes the post-Christmas let down even worse. I try to enjoy the week between Christmas and New Years. The decorations are still up... my favorite radio station is still playing Christmas music... and we have one more get together to look forward to. Christmas is something we anticipate for months - and yet it seems some people want it over in a day! Not me. I still light all my candles every night...bask in the glow of the tree...listen to that afore mentioned favorite radio station....
Yet, while I enjoy this last "official" week of the season - it still can be depressing. The stores are already clearing things out to make way for the Valentine's day fare. All along the curbside one can see heaps of discarded boxes and wrappings waiting for the trash man. The stores have lines a mile long with people returning those "perfect" gifts that someone stood in a long line waiting to buy. And probably the worst is when I see a discarded Christmas tree - a few strands of stray tinsel still clinging to the branches - at the roadside on December 26th! What the heck is that all about? Christmas isn't a day - it's a season - a frame of mind - we ease into it and we need to ease out of it. At least I do.
We just celebrated the Savior's birth. Well...He's still here with us. He didn't go away the day after the festivities. But people forget that. It's not just about the presents and parties and food. Sometimes I forget that too....
So as I ease out of this last week of the "official" Christmas season - I'm promising to take some of it with me as I ease into 2008. It will be a year of change and challenge for me. We'll be moving to the new house (though it's not finished yet, we're already starting to pack.) I don't know where I'll be with my job search. I gave myself the rest of this year to nail a teaching job (no one wants to hire a 50 year old) so I'll be doing something totally out of my element soon as I'm forced to move beyond the thing I know and love best. The bills will not wait anymore. And I'm vowing to myself that this WILL be the year that I get my body back to a healthier state. Which means less crap in the pie-hole, more activity on my feet and a concerted effort to handle my stress.
There are challenges all over the place in blog land. We have 3 days to solidify our game plans. Here is mine. I may tweak it and it may change. But for right now - this is how Lora sees 2008.
Each month a new change for me. They say it takes 21 days for a habit to stick. So I'm making new habits to replace the old - one a month. I've learned the hard day that Rome wasn't built in a day and I don't intend to bite off more than I can chew because then I just end up spitting it out!
January - healthy eating. More fruits and veggies less sugar and fat.
February - consistent exercise that is scheduled into my day. Not "fit" in - SCHEDULED in.
That's how far I'm looking into 2008 for now. Come March I'll implement a new change. Slow and steady wins the race. I'm beyond the quick fix mentality. I want changes that stick. Changes I can live with.
Three more days....and I'm ready! Are you?
1 comment:
I'm ready for 2008. Not sure if I will sign up for any challenges as well - I need my own challenges like you have stated. I need to make the life changes that come with this whole diet thing.
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