Join me in my journey into 2021. It’s time for change.
Whew! What a year 2020 was. I will always remember my emotions around this year, as I imagine you will as well. There were many struggles of 2020, as well as some highlights.
As a healthcare provider, working in a hospital, I can honestly say that I survived 2020, I did not thrive in 2020. I can also say that I am ready to choose to thrive in 2021. I am ready to make choices daily that make me a kinder, more compassionate human. Choices that encourage being a better person every day. Choices that encourage physical health, mental health, and spiritual health. I have seen my colleagues around me rally and rise up to the unknown. I have also seen them fatigued, run down and their health slipping away. I feel excited to make this year different. Hope for 2021.
I am not a person who makes yearly New Year’s resolutions. That strategy hasn’t worked for me in the past. And, I would imagine that research would say that most people do not keep their New Year’s resolutions. So, what I have done in the past, that has worked great for me, is to make monthly resolutions. What were some of my monthly resolutions for 2020, you ask? I have no clue. I didn’t keep up with it past February, as a global pandemic was on the rise and I went into fight or flight mode. Fight or flight mode…..For the entire year!
January 1st is right around the corner.
In comes a new year. Happy 2021! This year will be different. This year will start with making deliberate choices to improve my health!
I want to set 500 goals all at once. I want to start on January 1st with a bang. I want to workout every day, including meditation, more water, less work, and more! However, I want to be more focused this year than I was in 2020. In the past years, I have set monthly goals. Each month, I had a different focus. I made different goals for the month, and that would be the main focus.
Hope for 2021…..choose to be 1% better every day
Narrowing my January goals was very challenging. Health. Everything comes back to health. If health is lacking, everything else is harder. Tempers are shorter. Patience is lower. Sleeping is harder. So, I chose to focus on my health for January.
My goals for January are:
- No alcohol. “Dry January” is what the cool kids are calling it, apparently. Alcohol consumption rose in 2020, and I was one who helped that statistic. I know that I feel better, sleep better, and am more clear when I don’t drink. I want 2021 to be all of the above.
- More water. Early on in the pandemic, I really struggled to drink water throughout the day. I would get home from work, not having had a sip of water all day (and then, see the bullet point above-Is their water in wine?). As the year progressed, I was better at navigating water breaks with my mask, shield, and hand sanitizer. However, better was still not enough. My goal isn’t an amount, but it is habits that I will change to drink more. Research shows that if you “marry” a habit with one that is already in place, the new habit will take place faster and be sustained longer. I brush my teeth every morning. I will drink a full glass of water, first thing in the morning, along with brushing my teeth.
- No Spend Month. I know, I know, this isn’t totally health-related. But, it is. I will explain. However, first, let me qualify this, I will still pay all of my bills, buy fresh vegetables, and pay for anything that needs to be paid. I will not buy any “wants.” The health-related part is that I will food prep vs buying any take out/delivery. And, even better, I will food prep as much as I can from the food I already have in my freezer. Win! I just want to get a better handle on my finances as far as all the small spending goes, that adds up quickly.
- Daily movement. This has been a tricky one for me the last few years after some health issues. I come from an endurance background (Ironman Triathlons, 50-mile run, bike tours) and was advised by my MD to “take a break” a few years back. I took a long break. Started doing yoga and hiking. Still wanting more as far as my fitness goes. I am ready to feel like an athlete again. I am ready to be stronger and move better. I am looking for my passion for movement that includes movement, strength, endurance, and community.
Let’s start 2021 with thriving. Controlling that which we can, and letting go of the other “stuff.” Choosing to be 1% better each day. I will be posting a weekly blog, that will follow my monthly goals. I will also be posting my weekly movement goals. Follow along with those too! Or, better yet, choose your own and commit for a month.
