Resolutions

Monday, January 04th, 2021

I think now is a good time to talk about resolutions. Look - they don't have to be scary or lofty, they can be small things you want to add into your day to just be better. Something small like drinking water when you wake up, or go for a walk. Honestly anything small can have a huge impact on your life, and it is all about growth here. 2021, let it be the year that you put yourself first, do what makes you happy - you have the power to change things, you have the power to better your life. So take that power and embrace it, allow yourself to blossom.

I'll go first and share my "resolutions". See this year I decided to make "smaller" resolutions. I decided to break them down so they were manageable. There is nothing more daunting than saying you want to do x, y, and z everyday for 2021. How about having phases and installments, thats what I did. For me I have Phase 1: which is a reset. It is a chance for me to put myself first, a chance to do what I need to do to better myself mind, body, and soul - and that is the goal of phase 1, is to change my life ... well my life style. It is to show me what my priorities are and make time for them.

In 2021, Phase 1 begins January 01st, and goes till March 21st, 2021. In this phase I am "dating myself" I started the year off by deleting Tinder, I dont want nor do I need dating apps to be happy, I make myself happy, and I want to continue to make myself happy so I took myself off the market for now so I could grow and become an even better, whole, version of myself for the next person that God puts into my life. I want to focus on self love that makes me happy so I know not to put up with less than what I deserve!

I also am all about changing, and improving good positive habits and stopping old ones. The first thing I changed is a I keep my phone on the opposite side of my bed room now, I put it on the charge there so I dont go to bed with my phone anymore, I also do it so I have to physically get up to turn the alarm off in the morning. I have also been in bed at 10 pm every night so far and I've been asleep by 1030 which is beautiful! I have my alarm set to 730/745 depending on the morning and the last few days I have woken up naturally 10 minutes before the alarm goes off which has allowed me to stretch and naturally get out of bed. What has been such a positive thing is I no longer scroll on my phone anymore first thing when I wake up. And I think getting rid of social media off my phone has helped!

In 2021 I have quite a few daily things to check off for phase 1. First would be no alcohol, I wanted to cut it out of my "lifestyle" and form better habits and relationships in my life. Whether I make it the whole year who's to say, that would be special! But for now I am breaking it down to something smaller and manageable which is 90 days - it all begins somewhere. Second is drinking a minimum of a gallon of water a day, which isn't hard because all I do is drink water everyday, and a cut of green tea so that easy, but hydration is so important! Third, is to focus on the fuel and nutrients I am putting into my body. It starts with small manageable habits like having a fruit and vegetable at every meal, and than making sure you have protein at every meal. Little things like that make a huge difference. But really the biggest thing for me is reading the food label, and understanding portion sizes, instead of cutting food out and restricting myself - it is about reteaching myself that right portion, that way you can enjoy your favorite things in moderation!

Another part of phase 1 is to take a picture of myself everyday, that way I can see my changes. Sometimes the scale isn't 100% and a number doesn't define us, but we can see physical differences within ourselves! I hope after the 90 days I see a happier reflection smiling back at me! The next thing on the daily checklist is to exercise, no matter what it is for at least an hour a day, it could be as simple as a walk, but it has to be something that gets me moving! I want to treat my body like a temple. Thus sleeping a minimum of 7.5 hours too so I can recharge and do it all over again is critical.

I've touched on all the physical things I can do to change and improve but I haven't mentioned the things I am doing for my spiritual growth or mental growth. Spiritually I am committed to make sure I " go to church" every Sunday - and because of covid that means logging online to watch the weekly Sunday mass, but aside from that I am doing a 90 day plan that is to read through the New Testament. I set side time to meditate and pray before going to bed which coincidentally is what I do right after I post my nightly blog. See mentally my goal is to right every night as a sort of self reflection and it helps me to hold myself accountable even if no one reads what I post. Writing has always been therapeutic. Finally what I do mentally is the first thing I do as I'm getting ready in the morning is to listen to a self development podcast. It gets me thinking and it has been able to change my thinking. I even have started doing daily affirmations in the mirror after I brush my teeth!

Growth isn't linear, it is a process - and in the next 90 days I really want to transform holistically mind body and soul into a stronger, wise, happier woman. I want to truly not care so much about what other people think of me, I want to be happy in my chapter of singleness, I want to grow to the point where I dont feel guilty saying No to someone. See you can't give to others when your gas tank is on Empty, But you also don't want to give your final gallon of gas to someone else - you need to be "selfish" and keep that final gallon for yourself. It is okay not to be able to help someone all the time - what matters is you help someone when you can.

Resolutions are usually lofty goals that are not manageable and are rarely kept. But see if you break them down into smaller more manageable pieces that build on each other it makes it more obtainable. For me Phase 1 is just the beginning I will reassess and revisit my goals in the next phase but that isn't for a while. Right now I want to live in the present and work toward living everyday to the fullest, because who knows we might not get tomorrow, it isn't promised, all that is certain is today and the moment we have in front of us.. I didn't want to start 2021 off by saying my resolution was to "lose weight" instead my goal is to improve aspects of my life that make me happier and healthier. Losing weight would be great - but changing my lifestyle and making it one that will stick with me forever ... well that is priceless and I'd choose that any day!

What is something you want to focus on in the new year? What is something you want to get out of the next few months? What is one change you want to make in order to see improvement in your life?