2014 - the year without a resolution

Happy New Year!

I have actively tried to remember what 2013 was like and most of it escapes my memory. Thank goodness for Facebook. For me, personally, it was the year of pain. I had shingles and still have residual pain, my arthritis is in high gear especially in my hips, my asthma is worse than ever, and my anxiety levels have been through the roof this past year. All of this tells me that it is time to make a plan and get off of my ass. But I don't want to make it a resolution, because I don't keep those. I want to make it a challenge. I have great will power and feel like if I challenge myself, I can do it. I quit smoking cold turkey and I was a two-pack-a-day smoker. I just up and quit and never looked back. So surely I can begin an exercise program and watch what I eat.

My challenge to myself is this:
1. Read the Exercise Cure and craft an exercise plan for myself where I start slow and build up. I want to keep the excuses to a minimum.
2. Meal plan as often as possible and cook as many nights as possible. I will keep the plan simple and not promise myself pure paleo or vegetarian fare because, for my family, that is unreasonable.
3. When we go out to eat, try to make smart decisions knowing that sometimes I just really want a cheeseburger and I will order one preferably without guilt.
4. Figure out the most productive way to deal with my ever-increasing anxiety. Seems the older I get, the more anxious I become. I find myself wracked with guilt over the kind of mother I am (am I running out of patience too quickly, am I teaching her manners, am I maintaining consistent discipline, and most important of all, am I just enjoying my gorgeous child), the kind of wife I am (am I doing enough cooking, enough cleaning, enough laundry, should I do more with the finances, is he satisfied in every way), the kind of employee I am (do I innovate enough, am I giving my job my all, do I take care of all of my employees). I clearly need to lighten up and stop expecting so much from myself. But where do I start? I thing numbers 1 and 2 will go a long way towards helping me with number 4. I hope so, because I'm not planning beyond that.

I know that 2014 will be a great year because I'm married to my best friend and have a gorgeous daughter. Turtle turns 5 this year, she will start kindergarten, she will start Chinese dance, and she will probably start back up with piano lessons. We will return to China to adopt our second child sometime this year (notice the language - I'm thinking positively by saying that we WILL go to China this year). I can't wait to meet her. Turtle told us yesterday that she will love her sister.

I hope to spend more time with friends this year. I made some new ones this year and I hope to continue to get to know them. I want to take more things in stride instead of getting upset when plans go awry. If things get derailed, I must remember to take a deep breath and move on. Adding a child to the household should help me get there. Because if I don't I'll end up in the looney bin.

So, here is to a looney-bin free year. May 2014 be your best year yet - I wish you all prosperity, love, happiness, and contentment.