Meditate.
I might as well copy and paste this goal on all my future New Year’s resolutions lists because it’s been a goal for years and let’s be honest, it’s a lifetime project. Mindfulness isn’t something I can achieve, or a state in which I’ll magically arrive; it’s a practice. A daily one. An hourly one. A minute-by-minute, second-by-second one. I must remember this: when I think it’s too hard or my mind is just too scattered or I don’t have time, that’s when I need it most.
Read more.
Books are food for the soul, but similar to my on-again/off-again relationship with compulsive eating, I’m either reading constantly or not reading at all (except for the articles I read on my phone). This year I’d like to carve out time each day and week to read a book because I enjoy it. And hey, they say if you want to become a better writer you should read more, so there’s that, too.
Get better sleep.
I might be in my bed for 7-8 hours most nights, but considering that I wake up exhausted every morning, I don’t know how restful or restorative it really is. For one, I wake up between 3 and 6 times to pee, which is just as crazy as it is infuriating. I’m going to try to cut off liquid a few hours before bed…maybe at 6:30 or 7 and see if that helps. I’m also going to try to wean off of Unisom. During my pregnancy with James I started taking Unisom (along with vitamin b6) to help with nausea. I don’t know if it helped with the nausea, but it did help me sleep—so much that I have kept on taking it every night for the past two years…yikes. Maybe I’ll never solve sleep, but I can improve it I’m sure.
Be accepting of the time I spend organizing, sorting, decluttering…
All of these things sound productive, yes, but they’re not always the most productive way I could be spending my time. And trust me, I have spent years reprimanding myself for doing my little tidying jobs when I could or should be writing. “Stop procrastinating!” I’d scream at myself. What I’ve come to realize, though, is that the time I spend cleaning/organizing is also when I feel the most “flow,” and the most peace internally. So I have to ask myself—of all the things I do that aren’t exactly “good” for me, is it so bad that I just love house projects? I’m certain someone could argue YES (heck I’ve taken that stance for years!) and it’s only left me feeling guilty and down on myself, so this year I’ll try taking the other side of the argument, that maybe I should allow for—and even nurture—the “unproductive” things I do that make me feel at peace and in order.
What do you resolve to do in 2020?
Have you tried a weighted blanket? I got one for Christmas and its reduced my middle of the night bathroom breaks significantly. My sleep (according to my fit bit…) is much more restful!
What a nice list! The de- cluttering one speaks to me at this point too. I have a terrific need to do that and it takes me forever as I have a hard time deciding what to part with.
Frances, I just read the book Declutterring at the Speed of Life by Dana White. I found her book to have excellent insights on parting with stuff.
Andie, thanks for this article. I like to read and often put reading before cleaning…LOL
My sister in law recently told me she reads a couple of chapters and then finds a book shelf or drawer to declutter.
She said she has gone through her entire house. Rewards herself with reading. I like that idea.
Cleaning, organizing, decluttering . . . these are all things that help me think and keep my anxiety under control. Being in control of my junk drawer gives me peace when the rest of my life is chaotic. I have a sense of control of SOMETHING. It also helps me think, even if I’m not aware of what is going on in the deep recesses of my brain. Yesterday I cleaned up the garage (and OH, it is so delightful now that I keep walking out there just to look at it lol!) and suddenly had to stop and email my boyfriend about something we’ve been discussing. Solutions had just come to me while I was out there moving and sweeping. It’s cheap therapy!
I think you should keep up with the decluttering and organizing. I believe it has a huge positive impact on the rest of your life. You’re environment is so important to your mindset and outlook. And if you feel in flow when doing it, don’t resist! Go with the flow! Get resolutions Andie!
Mine are, more kindness, peace, grace for myself as a new mom (even tho my LO is already 15 mo.), doing something for me every week, more social connection, which is more difficult when you work from home, working out more.
I highly recommend to any woman that had nighttime needsj for multiple washroom breaks, something called pelvic floor therapy. It can help pregnant woman, older women and postpartum women who have issues. Specially trained physical therapists help so you feel better and have less issues at night. Your gyn/ob can refer you to a specialist.
You might change what time you take the B6. It can act as a diuretic! That will help the getting up overnight!
I also love home improvement projects. They are my passion actually. I just completed a kitchen cabinet redo, dining table redo and a shoe cabinet make over. So my projects tend to take over the house which make my house never company ready. My goal is to organize my craft room so I actually have room to (ahem) craft. LOL.
CBD oil helped my sleep tremendously, so much that I don’t get up to pee anymore. Insert clapping. It also helped my Hashimotos, my chronic fatigue and my anxiety. It helped my husbands sleep as well. I highly recommend. Find a good one though. All CBD is not created equal.
Pingback: Resolutions for 2020 - Andie Mitchell - Healthy Not Crazy
Hi Andie. I also was spending too much time tidying up, doing daily house chores, and such. Instead, first thing every day is now dedicated to getting in a workout. I prefer water exercise and because it’s in the water it is time consuming. I get to my housework maybe not quite as often as I did but the exercise I’ve over the past 7 months has made major improvements to my health, fitness, and I also now enjoy better sleep. My background with food and weight loss is very similar to yours so I thought I’d share. Take care of yourself first. Take time to write. The rest will fall into place. Thanks for everything! Enjoy reading your blog.