Ahhhh, January. The month of resolutions, new beginnings, fresh perspectives, etc. etc. It almost feels cliche to simply write the words. After a November and December filled with stress, uncertainty, and illness (stomach flu followed by hypothyroidism diagnosis followed by bacterial infection followed by lingering cold), I had some much needed vacation time over the holidays to clear my head, relax with my hubby, and get things done around the house. We had a nice quiet Christmas, Shayne threw me a great birthday, and we had a nice, relaxed New Years with friends. We also had a lot of down time to reflect on the last year, and what we wanted to change in 2013. We do this every year, and usually when we review our goals the following year it’s a little depressing, but we are determined to break that pattern. Some of our highlights for 2013 include:
-Less alcohol. We both over-consumed on vacation, and it really opened our eyes to an unhealthy pattern we’ve developed. So we’ve gone stone-cold sober for the month of January. It’s been much more of a struggle for me than I anticipated, which is a little concerning to me, but I think I’m finally starting to feel better, clearer, and more focused.
-Less takeout/restaurant food/expensive indulgences. Not only do we waste a lot of money going out, money that we NEED for a down payment on a house soon, but when we go out, we eat like shit. Chicken strips and I have had a long, tumultuous relationship through the years, and we need to see less of each other. We are back to strict meal planning, lots of veggies, lots of fruits, and lots of water. Our kitchen is reasonably clean, and we’ve been cooking up a storm. Today, when I ate lunch at Whole Foods, I had a salad and soup, instead of the chicken strips and fries that are so delicious from the grill.
-We are vowing to LOVE LIFE this year. Struggling with depression and anxiety, especially during these last few stressful months, has really brought us down, and we are determined to turn it around. We are grabbing life by the horns in 2013! Balls to the wall! Go big or go home!
As for a more personal goal, I want to write more on this blog, in hopes of keeping myself accountable and also fostering my former love of writing. I hope to use this as an outlet, a mind map, an extension of my brain with a cooler layout.
Here’s to 2013, our Q4 audit that starts next week at work, and 24 more days of a completely alcohol-free me!
(this photo was from a more hard-partying NYE than this year, but I love it)
Happy Healthy PDX 