Three Months In
A look back to January when it all started.
I didn’t call them New Year’s resolutions. It came with too much pressure. I didn’t give them a name, per se, but they were changes I needed to make: a better work-life balance and to be healthier. It was time.
So three months in, this is a list of the changes that have made a difference for me….
- I force myself to leave work on time. The work will always be there tomorrow. I make my daily to do lists more focused (and reasonable) and I carve out time to write my notes for the next day so I’m not scrambling.
- I bring my lunch to work. No more food trucks. And the money I save goes toward more exciting things.
- I make dinner; no more take-out. I plan out dinners and make the effort to go grocery shopping, knocking out #2 as well. Saving money and eating healthier are great combinations.
- I don’t drink coffee in the afternoon. In addition to saving money, I’m tired earlier in the evening and it’s easier for me to fall asleep.
- I drink less adult beverages. I cut back and I don’t drink them as late in the evening, and it’s the second reason I sleep better now.
- I go to yoga classes three times a week (since February). I’ve already seen improvements.
A marathon, like life, is more about the journey and the bumps and bruises along the way. When you train for a marathon, you don’t worry about the full 26.2 miles — you focus on one mile at a time.
When I started my journey I told myself I wasn’t going to get discouraged if I slipped up or didn’t complete the task. There was the next day, the next mile.
For me and my journey, some things dove-tailed into one another, but for other things, the change was actually doing less of some things — which is one of the best discoveries I made.
Don’t try to change too much at one time. Start small. Start with the first mile. Build off your small wins and give yourself time — it’s what you need to change your habits.
If you’re looking to start your new journey, Spring is just starting. It’s a new marker. Start here. Start now.
