I'm not really one for New Year's resolutions and almost never keep them. For 2017, I decided to come up with a few guidelines to try to live by instead and it has worked really well. I might have wobbled now and again, but overall I have at least shifted the balance for the better in all these areas of my life.
I'm having a very wobbly wobble at the moment - I haven't been back to the gym since I had my cold/virus (which is still rumbling on) and I've been really busy, drinking too much booze and eating everything I shouldn't. My bad behaviour was starting to get me down a bit, but looking back at my "guidelines" for the year, I can see that, in the larger scheme of things, I have done really well.
I thought I'd share my 2017 guidelines here....
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LESS consumption
/MORE creation
LESS unhealthy food
/MORE activity
LESS stress-inducing clutter
/MORE peace-inducing organisation
LESS inside
/MORE outside
LESS non-exercise guilt
/MORE hula hooping!
PURSUE:
Eating for health and happiness
Hula hooping
Another fun exercise
Everyday activity
Up and at ‘em by 8(:59)
Time outdoors (esp with daughter)
Regular small improvements to home environment
Prioritising time for creativity (esp dressmaking)
Better sleep
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I spent AGES thinking about these and will say that they are very much tailored to me and my specific needs/interests, but what might work equally well for others is the less/more approach. I've found these really easy to keep in mind throughout the year and have found it helpful to have a positive (do this) as an alternative to the negative (don't do that) e.g. if I'm tempted to buy plastic tat for children's birthdays, I say, "Less consumption, more creation," to myself and (time allowing) make a present instead. It's easy to make these little choices day to day, but over the year they make a big change to your life. My "pursue" list maybe takes a bit more effort to fulfil, but I found it helped having these written down quite simply with the goal of pursuing rather than achieving. That way I don't have to feel bad if I'm not quite there yet with any of them, they are all works in progress, and I have made progress with every single one of them.
So, what of 2018? Well, I'm keeping all these guidelines for another year, but (despite what I said about liking not having a hard-and-fast rule to live by) am adding one much more traditional resolution - I am planning to give up alcohol for the whole of 2018. I did a couple of "sober" months this year and enjoyed time off from booze so much - I lost weight, felt great, got more done. But as soon as I allow myself alcohol again, all moderation flies out the window - I drink too much/too regularly and good habits start falling apart almost immediately. I think a whole year off the booze will be a positive experience for me. I thought my husband (who has stated before that he would not want to be married to a non-drinker) would be sad at the loss of his drinking buddy, but he actually thinks it's a great idea, having seen how much more I enjoyed life during my recent six-week dry spell and how much weight I lost - something I struggle with generally. My friends are very positive about it too, one or two of them are even thinking of joining me.
I think this time of year is kind of tricky for everyone, but taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture has made me feel a good bit better about everything, including myself.
Do any of you have positive plans brewing for 2018? I would love to hear about them!
Ha! (They probably heard how much macaroni I was consuming and changed the day for my own good.)
I'm new here --- glad I found this group
Happy xmas 
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