Tuesday, November 27, 2012

New Years Resolutions

I want to change the way I do resolutions. I personally do them on my birthday, because then it is for my personal year, and I often reflect on the past year then vs. at the end of the calendar year. So I have decided to base my resolutions on feelings instead of on things. I have noticed that if I resolve to change something that puts too much pressure on myself, or is based on material or superficial things, I set myself up for failing. So this year I want to feel abundant, happy, love, healthy, creative, even more empowered, aware, and connected. So now its the fun part of figuring out what I can do to elicit those feelings as often as possible! (which I promise will grace the pages of this blog as I go!)

As an example, every year gyms make a ton of money in January because of all the people out there who are determined to lose weight, by March (if not before) a very high percentage of people no longer go, and have given up on their resolution. So instead of wanting lose weight, figure out what feelings you are chasing, is it the feeling of being healthy? more energetic? happiness? feeling sexier? Find ways to feel those feelings and your weight should change in a positive way as a natural bi-product!
If it is health your after, set an intention to make better/healthier food choices, or decide to try at least one new health based thing this year - jazzercise, yoga, jogging, walking, zumba, and try to have fun with it. If you hate doing it, you won't last, so set yourself up for success by trying to find something that you can enjoy, even if its just a little.
If it is increased energy, try to go to bed at a better time and get a good nights sleep, decrease your caffeine and sugar intake in the day, increase the amount you exercise, eat healthier, do things with a smile.
If it is happiness, read this blog :) , do things with a smile, breathe, think of the things that make you the happiest (whether it be scrapbooking, dancing, laughing, meditation, spiritual pursuits, reading a great book) and do that as often as you can. Explore all of the things that make you smile, and you will find yourself happier as time goes on.
If it is feeling sexy, wear clothes that you feel good in, and tell yourself that you are sexy (while smiling) even when you aren't feeling that way, eventually you will feel it. Try to focus on the areas of your body that you love vs. the parts that you feel could use some work. Be gentle with yourself!

Instead of making the 'issue' the focus of change, make the positive feeling the creator of change!

Thursday, November 8, 2012

The Balance Myth

I don't know if it is just me that does this, but I think the concept of balance has me striving to achieve something that is truly not achievable. I don't know if it is the visualization of a see-saw and having something as equal on one side as it is on the other to obtain that perfect level of balance or just the amount of things that I have read or heard about achieving and maintaining the mythological balance. To be honest I am not even sure what it is that I am trying to balance, is it family and work, is it work and rest and play, how many things am I allowed to try to balance? and should it all be equal parts? 50/50, 33.3/33.3/33.3??

I feel like I hear other people talk about trying to achieve the same thing, some sort of ability to divide our time up into specific areas to make sure that we spend the right amount of time in the right amount of spaces to create the right amount of happiness. But because our lives are always changing, this concept of balance has become something that is more of a stress when we don't feel like we have it; then it is something that helps us feel good about ourselves/our lives.

I think that we have also created the idea of balance to make sure that we are spending our time appropriately and making sure that we aren't being wasteful with our precious time. So I decided to look at my life and see where I was wasting my time. And often the first things that I consider are the times in which I am relaxing. TV is a huge time 'waster' for me, but it is really one of the few things that will allow my mind to check out for a few minutes at a time, and in truth the amount that goes on in there, my mind needs some down time too! So really, not wasteful. In truth it is important to rest, and recoup in order to stay healthy. I see my family and friends often, sometimes it more, sometimes its less, I work quite a bit, but that goes with doing what you love, and loving what you do, and growing a business. Some days I work harder than others, it all depends on how I feel. I don't have kids, maybe balance is different when your a parent.

So is my life 'unbalanced'? probably. Should I strive to make it swing into some sort of balance? probably not. I think I am just going to let my notions of balance go, and let my life be what it is for every moment it is.