Happy New Year!!

While I had a relatively good 2010, many, far too many of my good friends had a very hard year. More than one friend's marriage imploded, too many parents were lost, pregnancies lost, another friend's baby stillborn. I think many people are wishing a not-so-fond farewell to 2010. I like New Year's Day, because I like taking some time regularly to evaluate my life, think about where I've am, where I've been, and where I seem to be heading. I wouldn't say these are resolutions, I feel like those are typically doomed to failure, but rather changes I hope to be working on over the next few months.

1. Stop wasting time on Facebook games. :) It's a secret shame, but I feel like I spend far, far too much time playing silly games, to the point where it's not actually much fun, and feels more like an obligation. Which, when I think it about it, is pretty dumb! I could take the time I spend doing that, and put it back into doing things that I not only enjoy, but truly enhance my life...

2. Eating and exercise - I need and want to shift my eating a bit, especially after the last 5 or 6 weeks of parties, holidays, etc. Back to the simple food I usually eat, but I want to cut back on the meat/cheese portion of my diet. I just passed 41, and there's a *strong* history of heart disease in my family. I've also let my yoga practice slide in the last 6 weeks or so, and I've let my more serious exercise practice REALLY slide this fall, and I don't like how I feel. Exercise is so good for me, emotionally and physically, and I need to re-prioritize it. Sleep is the other big thing, and exercise really helps me sleep better. If I get to sleep by 10, getting up at 6 to do yoga is totally doable.

Part of this thought process has been spurred by the fact that while we were on vacation, I tried very hard to unplug myself from the electronics, and I actually did some knitting! I got the toe and half the foot done on a second sock, and man, it felt GOOD to get something done! I have lots of projects to be working on, and I'd like to have 2011 be the year of the FO! :) I've also got a couple of pairs of pajamas for the boys that I'm making, and I'd like to get them done before they outgrow them. Not to mention my shiny new serger that I want to play with! I've had it almost 2 weeks and I haven't even taken it out of the box!!

That's it really - I think it can be summed up in refocusing on the activities in my life that bring me joy, happiness and health, because that's never just handed to you. You have to actively choose it, work for it, and make it happen. I've been far too short-tempered and cranky as of late, and I don't like that. I don't like the me I've been over the last few months, and I need to reconnect to joy and health. Sure, there are some ongoing stressful situations in my life, but I've started accepting that they're not going to change, so I need to be in shape to manage it. And that means taking care of myself.