I’m among the millions of moms out there cheering because the kids are back in school.
Back to school not only applies to the Princess, but it represents a fresh start for me. A chance to try new things, make some lifestyle changes, and learn something from my ever-growing list of things to learn.
Goal-setting is fine and dandy, but I need to hold myself accountable, hence the public announcement of my goals/intentions. I’m sure a number of folks will check in and gently remind me to keep on task. Key word—”gently.”
Here are some things I’ll be working on:
Eating real food and less processed foods. I realize that I really have no excuse to eat poorly. Laziness and poor planning are my biggest challenges. I need to plan meals better and be more firm about having everyone to at least try what’s prepared for them. I’ll be sure to have back-up foods that they can prepare for themselves if they prefer to abstain (e.g., cereal, whole grain bread, fresh fruit, salad, edamame).
The other challenge is not buying junk food. Healthy pre-made options are out there for when I’m not in the mood to cook. Just need to look into those and have them ready.
Writing that novel. Over the summer I did lots of reading, researching, and soul-searching to figure out what I’m most likely to write. Now it’s a matter of sitting down and “bleeding on the page.”
Thank goodness Nanowrimo is around the corner. In the meantime, I should do some training—like conditioning and practice runs that marathon runners do to build endurance. I’ve created some writing assignments to help me warm up. They’re not intended to result in masterpieces per se, but if something decent comes out, who am I to complain? 😉
Simplifying. One of my dear friends has been busy preparing her home to put on market. She’s inspired me to look more closely at what I have and simplify, which sounds better than “declutter.”
I realize we have a lot of things that we’ve kept out of habit, and we can easily do without. I’m challenging myself to look at my house in the eyes of a potential buyer (even though we’re not selling our house.) Why wait to improve one’s living situation when it could be done now?
Moving and grooving. As much as it annoys me that my daughter’s school has gym every day (while music and art is only once a week for each), I realize it’s supposed to be for their own good. Aside from fighting childhood obesity, exercise early in the day is supposed to help minds be more receptive to learning.
I’m challenging myself to incorporate some exercise every day. It doesn’t necessarily require a trip to the gym. I would count some household chores as exercise—vacuuming, swiffering/mopping, laundry (going up and down the stairs, lifting laundry basket). I’ll also try to get myself to do some walking after dinner—around the neighborhood or on the ever-neglected treadmill.
I’ll also be sure to drink water each hour or so, which would help me get up from my chair for bathroom breaks. And, there’ll be sporadic some booty-shaking as I listen to my music and work. I’ll probably have to go to another room if HB happens to be working from home, too. I can already see him ROFL-ing as we speak.
Slowing down. Amidst the craziness of being a work-at-home mom/wife, I have to make some quiet time to recharge and be thankful. It could be while I wait for a lesson to complete, or as I wait to pick up the Princess, or while I do mindless task like washing the dishes or folding laundry, or before I go to bed, or when I first wake up.
As much as I’d like to fantasize about a weeklong escape to a tropical island, the reality is that I’d probably be stressing out about something or other. Anyway, yoga/meditation has taught me that I can reenergize anywhere and at anytime. It doesn’t have to be a big chunk of time—10 or 15 minutes can make a huge difference. Even a few minutes of deep breathing can do wonders.
Mama Sophia's Soul Kitchen 