Positive Changes

It's been a long time since I felt inspired to make a new year's resolution. I'm kind of against them entirely. It feels forced and manipulated, like valentine's day. We managed to make it through the holidays, we probably gained a few pounds and ran up some more debt. Then, we stay up late, drink copious amount of liquor and make slurred, empty promises of fitness regimens and spending time with our families. Then we wake up the next morning hung over and bleary, and go back to real life, where unused gym memberships and grandparents grow dusty in the back of our minds.

So, instead of resolutions for this year, I offer a list of positive changes I made in my life last year:

1. Started using less irritants and more natural products on myself and in my home. My nose is super sensitive now, which drove me to seek out alternative ways of cleaning my home, my clothes, my house and myself. Baking soda is the best stuff on earth, with vinegar coming up a close second.

2. Had a prolific container garden, some of which is overwintering happily in my bedroom bay window. I started the garden because I felt like I needed a hobby, being stuck at home all the time with the television. And the garden inspired me to take on cooking as a new hobby, too, since I had so many fresh ingredients growing on my front steps.

3. Started writing again. I hadn't written a word recreationally in years when I started up this blog. I didn't feel like I had anything of worth to say. I still debate that, in my head, whether my words mean anything in the vastness of the internet. They probably don't, for the most part. And that's cool. Writing helps me sort through the garbage to find the meaning, organize my thoughts, and practice being self-aware without being self-obsessed.

4. Found acceptance.

5. Bought a dishwasher. And a treadmill. Both for crazy cheap. The dishwasher has reduced our cleanliness fights dramatically, and has saved me countless spoons in labor and aggravation. The treadmill gives me no excuse not to exercise.

6. Green smoothies. Good nutrition is really important. That sounds obvious, but it's so easy to take it for granted. I feel so much better when I eat mostly fruits and veggies. It's a shame that our culture is so fast food oriented, it's doing terrible things to us, our bodies and our personalities. Besides, spinach, ginger, lemon juice, soymilk and banana taste really good when they are all blended up together with some ice.

7. I love my neti pot. Especially now that it's winter and the air is so dry that my lips peel if I'm not careful. The cold, dry air irritates my sinuses and royally pisses off my head and the only thing that has soothed it was a refreshing warm water irrigation. It feels much better than it sounds.

I just noticed that all of these changes came about because of my head. Way to play into the silver lining cliche, HEAD.

Here's to new possibilities, and being right with oneself. Happy new year.