Fresh Starts
~ January Newsletter ~
Welcome to 2025! While the "fresh start" them of January may feel a bit clichéd, I suspect it also rings true. By this point, the excess of the holidays and "I didn't do as
much of X as I'd hoped" of the prior year reaches critical mass.
Today's day of rest is also a day of reboot. Clear the clutter, take out the trash, look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself: How do I want this year to be different? (Realistically?)
Sure, we (and life)
will never be "perfect", and most resolutions will fall to the wayside in coming weeks. But in all things, it still helps to have a moment to reassess and give ourselves that opportunity to reset and reboot (with lovingkindness).
What does that mean for you?
Keep it simple and listen to your heart and
your gut -
What do you need most that you're likely and able to give yourself?
Maybe it's just one thing. Maybe it's not even a thing but simply an intention or a vibe that you're drawn to.
Some of the things we're already working on at our house:
- More weekend movement play! Now that we're settled in, we're bringing back our old mile goals (more for my competitive, goal-minded husband) for xc skiing, hiking, and paddling for 2025. We've already got 5 days down for xc, which is 5x more than last year - woot!
- Eat More
Plants - especially veggies and beans. Sarah Cobacho's cookbook/Plant Baes website is inspiring - everyone is loving the lentil quinoa wraps and I can't wait to try butter bean croutons, crispy lentils, and pureed beet as dinner/lunch bowl toppers.
- More Frequent Game Nights to interact with one another in a more active way.
- Poetry Moments Sporadically picking up Mary Oliver poetry collection and the Anatomy is Beautiful book by Kaitlin Walsh for a quick poem by the window has been a joy.
There's plenty more I'd like to do... but I know these goals are more easily attainable for
me yet still high-impact, so that's where I'll start.
Focus on the Good Stuff
We'll never be perfect, so even when we recognize something we want to change, it's important to not beat ourselves up over past "failings" and to notice all the good things big or small that we can be grateful for or proud of.
Studies show that training yourself to see and appreciate the good stuff (such as via a gratitude journal) can improve your overall happiness set point by as much as 25%!
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