A New Year's REVIVAL
“This year, I’m going to bring in 2017 as the best me I can be! I have control over myself and if I tweak my outlook, just a bit, I can make it a REVIVAL year. ”
There are a lot of "R" words going around right now...happens every year this time of year. Out with the old and in with the new, right? Wrong. I am who I am because of my years of experience. Have I made mistakes? Yes, but the key to every mistake and passing year is to learn from them.
This year, I'm going to bring in 2017 as the best me I can be! I have control over myself and if I tweak my outlook, just a bit, I can make it a REVIVAL year. My glass is half full and I'm grateful for what I have. If something is brining me down, I'm going to take action. True, many of these things out of my control (as stated above), but focusing on that isn't going to get me that far. I'm going to focus on what I can control....me!
For example, I can control my reaction to things. I can be sad by something I see on the news and I can go out into the world and be positive, show compassion, and lead by example. If every.single.person did this, we will start a REVIVAL.
Now, this is going to take some work. It's hard to stay positive in the face of adversity. Additionally, there are some things that help me stay mentally strong and if they help me, maybe they'll help you!
A healthy home made bran muffin.
Eat Well
This is probably a no brainer, but eating isn't only about what "sounds good," it's also about fueling your body appropriately for your lifestyle. If you're working in a physical job, make sure you're getting enough protein and complex carbohydrates. For me, I rely on protein a lot for me to stay satisfied longer. If I eat too much sugar (which is one of my vices) I feel good for about 20 minutes, but then I crash and want more or coffee or a brisk walk to keep me going.
Sleep Enough
I have Lucy (a year and a half old), so this can be challenging with teeth coming in or a restless night, but I shoot for 8 hours of sleep a night. It doesn't always happen, but I allocate it and man, it makes a huge difference for my day. I can usually have a good day till about 2pm on less sleep, but when 2 o'clock runs around....it's game over for me and I look for dark chocolate and I start the sugar cycle referenced above. Sleep and eating well are closely related for me.
Make time for a little beach volleyball with friends. It's fun in the sun and a great weekend.
Stay Active
This has been more challenging with a toddler and a full time job. Those days that I'm at my desk 8+ hours, it's even more important to come home and throw the kid in stroller (not literally) and get the dog on a leash and go for a walk or run. Now, when I'm tired and haven't eaten well, it's really hard for me to do that when I get home, but I know that when I do...I'll feel like myself again. It also helps me sleep, which in turn helps me eat better.
Focus on Productivity
This is one that is a mindset thing and can really drive my husband nuts. I'm one of those people that feels better about myself and my day if I get things done. Now "things" is a general term and a wide variety will qualify: going on a run, cleaning the house, pulling weeds, putting a dimmer on a light switch that I've been meaning to do for awhile, etc. The list goes on and on. I try to kill 2 birds with one stone, whenever possible, so if I want to go for a run, but I also need to exercise Bert (our almost 5 year old dog), then I'll bring him a long for the run. You get my drift? I make a list on Friday, including all the "wish list" things I'd like to get done over the weekend, then I look at the calendar of the things we have committed to and I try to tackle as much as I can, all while making time to relax and enjoy my family. It's a challenge, but I know when I've succeeded Sunday night, when I reflect back on the weekend. If I'm the right amount of accomplished, tired and relaxed, I know I did what I set out to do.
