I am hyper-aware that new year’s resolutions don’t work. Still, each year, as resolutions are bandied about on Facebook and people profess to change, I usually throw out a few ideas and see if anything will stick, like, “eat more fruits and vegetables, but mostly vegetables.” This one has worked. It’s a bit intangible, but over the years, I have increasingly, slowly, but steadily, added more vegetables to my diet.
I’ve also used resolutions to cut sugar out of my diet with some success. Over the past few years, I’ve eaten less sugar than ever before. Sugar is sort of a problem for me. I have a massive sweet tooth and little self control. So, in order to cut back on sweets, I’ve had to implement strict rules. For example, I’ll set a goal to go a month without eating any sweets, with a few exceptions–like honey in my tea and a daily square of good, dark chocolate. I also have a rule of eating sweets if life hands me a sweet. For example, if I’m at a wedding, I’ll have a slice of cake, etc.
This year, I’ve felt incredibly warm and reflective about the closing of one year and the beginning of the next. In the past, a year was such an incredibly long time that I really couldn’t conceive of doing something for the entire period. This year–and I think this had changed with age–I have a better sense of a year. I also have more freedom than ever before, now that I’m not a student. So, I can really actively plan (and daydream) about the future and reflect on the past. That’s what I’ve been doing for the past few days, and I’ll probably keep it up for the next few days. And it’s been an incredibly enjoyable process.
SHEREWIN 