Positively

The weather has been as good here has it has been as bad in the Northeast this week. It finally got to me and I went for my first walk since Ziva left. I won't lie, it hurt. However, it also felt good to get out in the sunshine. I am still amazed at how safe she made me feel, when walking with her. I randomly look at web sites like PetFinder to imagine another dog in my life. Then I just think that it is too soon and that I should wait until my two little dogs are gone. Ack...I don't know which way I will go. But at least I DID go for a walk.

A few days ago I received a card from a blog reader 

that I happen to know in real life: 

She knows I go to yoga classes a lot. She noted that I had met my goal of no smoking for all of 2014 and wanted to send kudos to me for having done so. What a sweet thing to do! It actually helped me to not try one cigarette, just to see if I still hated the stench. So I remain smoke-free. Thank you Brenda! You're a peach!

I am focusing my energies on purging the house. It is daunting. I am getting exercise by all the hauling and moving and stooping and lifting and carrying and tossing and and and just everything! It has been exhausting but oh so rewarding! The less 'stuff' to worry about, the less worry there is!

That's my theory and I am sticking to it. Till next time, walk-on!

Waltzing Matilda

Around January 12th, I blew all my goals/resolutions out of the water! I did it in style. I did it. I did not do the real goal setting work that needs to be done to insure successful goal achievement! Bad me. Bad, bad, bad!

What have I done? Well, I have cut WAY back on the wine, quite successfully, I might add. I am actually very proud of myself on that front. I also DID inquire about a trainer. I can't swing $25 an hour though, so that isn't going to work. And I have purposely stayed more active, but I have not been timing it to be sure I am doing at least ten minutes at a time. 

I changed my eating habits, going back to something that is more comfortable for me, to deal with, yet is quite effective. It works as a lifestyle change, not a diet, but I am not ready to share it with you yet. This is me, figuring out what my personal maintenance plan will be. I am enthusiastic about the results so far, and about this being what my new lifestyle will evolve to.

I am hoping to not get the winter blues. I often do suffer from it, usually about February. I think it coincides with the lack of sunlight exposure. I try to remember to step outside at least a little bit, each day, so I can keep the blues from becoming overwhelming.

Moving forward I am looking to a new year that is full of answers to what my life will be like, going into the future.

  

I shall keep you posted on my progress!

Recently a documentary has been making the rounds in our area. "Forks Over Knives" discusses the benefits of a plant based diet. If you see the movie, be sure to see some of the comments or reviews about it too. One review that I especially like is found at Raw Food SOS.

That's the latest from these parts. Oh, wait! You might want to know why the title of this posting is "Waltzing Matilda"! This refers to a breathing technique that I have had some success with for de-stressing and for falling back asleep when I wake up at zero-dark-thirty in the mornings. Like the Waltz step, the breathing technique goes 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4. Breath in for a count of four, hold for a count of four, exhale for a count of four, and hold for a count of four. It takes a little practice to get the timing smooth and correct for your personal lung capacity, but it really works well!

Now, that is it for today. Hope you are all Walking-On!

Set Goals, Not Resolutions

I don't make New Year's Resolutions. I set goals. The more specific you make your goals, the better your chances are to achieve them.
Last year I had two goals. One was to walk a minimum of ten minutes per day. The other was to not smoke any cigarettes. I achieved both!
This year I am going to set three goals:
*The first goal is to do a minimum of ten minutes of any type of exercise or extra activity, per day. I don't want to be restricted to just walking.
*The second goal is to see if I can find a strength trainer that I can afford. I will do this by first contacting a gym that I know I can afford and see if there are any trainers that are available near the times I am looking for.
*The third goal will be the hardest. I will not buy wine this year. I am not saying I won't drink wine, but I will not personally buy any. This will help me to cut down a LOT. I am abusing it and if I don't get a handle on it, it will mess up how my meds work. It could also lead to full fledged alcoholism. I don't want to go there.

I am excited about the new year. There is something about new beginnings and fresh starts that appeals to me. I've been working hard in my studio to purge junk, sort, organize, and make it pretty. It was cluttered. It was overweight, so I am putting it on a diet. ha ha ha

Yoga class is tomorrow, then I will work in my studio again. I have four boxes to go through before I will give myself a break and actually do some sewing therapy! Till next time, walk-on!