Last year was a roller coaster. I had a baby at the end of 2015, and spent 2016 trying to find a new balance with this ever changing tiny human. Every day was different. My cycles, my habits, my abilities… everything was shifted and changed. I had no more free time. Even if there wasn’t something scheduled I was taking care of the Squish. Somehow I balanced 14 races, joined the Sea Rim Striders as the Marketing Coordinator, moved into a new house, and started multiple community initiatives (#BeaumontRocks and ready SET go). I won two age group awards, lost all my flexibility, and lost myself along the way.
Here is to 2017, where I will find myself. Again.
I can’t say that 2016 was bad. Heck, it was pretty good. But I didn’t live with intention. I didn’t have any spark. Every day was like walking through mud, and I wanted to fly. I felt like I was living in a black and white movie, and half of the time the television was on mute. I smiled and nodded a lot. I bit my tongue, and held back my opinions. I worried what others were thinking when I went out without my wedding ring, or the baby cried in public, or I didn’t wear makeup. I provided a lot of free services for people that I should have been charging. And I lost time I should have been dedicating to my own self-care, through art and writing and even blogging, and gave it to others who didn’t deserve it. But not this year.
So here is to 2017.
- I will put myself, and my family, first. We will go where we need to go for our happiness, whether it means returning to the East Coast, taking a job on the West Coast, or staying where we are. I will not change my values based on the opinions of friends or family. I will not reconsider my value based on the statements or actions of others.
- I will actively use my planner to not only prepare my weekly and monthly adventures, but to record my life. Because without record, there is no proof it happened. And without planning, there is no intention or purpose for trying to achieve.
- I will recommit to blogging. Not just fitness blogging, but journaling my attempts at finding a happy healthy lifestyle. Because I’d lost the reason for my blogging and I can see clearly now. It’s not just to record my workouts, but to inspire others to push past their challenges and find fitness in their daily life, no matter how busy.
- I will put my self-care on the front page. This means eating 3 meals each day, showering even when the baby is clingy, whitening my teeth (instead of complaining about coffee). This also means finding time to re-allign my goals, fall into a book, get lost in time coloring, or painting a series of rocks.
- I will not offer my services as a digital media design specialist to anyone without their expressed interest, nor will I donate my services to individuals. My time and my talents are valuable and not to be taken advantage of.
- I will not let my patience get the best of me. I will not get frustrated quickly, and will take the time to evaluate each situation calmly and understand why I am getting discouraged. And I won’t take my frustrations out on the people I love.
Oh, and…
- I will finish my coffee before it gets cold (and whiten my teeth after), find a lipstick I don’t hate, cut and color my hair, stop wearing leggings as pants, wear my contacts, clean out my car more than twice a year, buy a bra that fits, and travel the world. Ok, that last one is pushing it a bit.
- And finally, I will run 365 miles, complete at least 16 chipped races, drop my 5k PR time down at least 26 minutes, run a 10k in under 60 minutes, and win at least 3 Age Group awards. I will practice yoga, dedicate training time to stretching and rolling, maintain a strength routine.
2017 can expect big things.
