One Resolution at a Time

When I was young and naive (ha ha), I made a list of 5 to 10 new resolutions at the beginning of each year. Now that I'm older and wiser (har de har), I know that's a really futile activity on which to spend my time. But I do spend some time each December reassessing my goals and what I most want to accomplish. Then I try to write JUST ONE resolution for the New Year.

In 2009, my resolution was simply to spend the year decluttering my house, and ultimately I hoped, my everyday life. I did accomplish some of this, but I will admit the decluttering continues throughout 2010 and will ramp up in 2011. I don't see it as a failure, however, because isn't that what a real resolution is all about?  A lifestyle change and not just one check box in the course of your life?

In 2010, my one resolution was to get healthy and get myself off the reflux medication I have been taking for years. I wanted to get educated about what was best for my body so that I could keep kickin' it into high gear even when I am 95! I am optimistic about traveling when I'm old and gray!!

I will admit I floundered for the first few months of the year, but then I started getting some great reading recommendations from my healthy friends and trainer at the gym where I work out. The books I read are about using food to heal your body. Then I met a wonderful alternative physician who worked with me to determine what was going on with my body. With his help, I stopped eating just a few foods that did not agree digestion-wise with my body and gained energy I was missing. With the addition of drinking juice from 1 1/2 lemons per day (to aid in digestion), I was off the medication! That was seven months ago, and I haven't needed anything since.

Although I did not set out to lose weight, I happily dropped nine pounds and two pant sizes and got back to pre-pregnancy weight! All without dieting, but just eating whole foods that were right for my body. Now don't be mistaken, I splurge with my sweet tooth and country cooking all the time, but with overall healthier practices, my body handles it all much better. Resolution achieved!

So what about 2011? This will be my year of forgiveness. TMI would not be appropriate, but there are a couple of people I have been struggling to forgive for things I feel they have wrongly done to me. So I am giving myself a year of forgiving, to heal myself and move on. I call it decluttering the mind and soul. Vive decluttering!

Hope you have a resolution in mind that will leave you happier and healthier at the end of 2011. Go easy on yourself. I've learned it takes a lot more time than what I was giving myself to accomplish the things I really want to achieve.