Thursday, January 15, 2015

2015: The Julie Project

Hello dear friends,

I like to take stock of my life at the end of the year.  I name the year/give it a theme and ask myself some important questions.  I want to know I have made progress in my life in the direction of my hopes and dreams.  I have named 2015 The Julie Project.  I have so much I want to accomplish this year.  It is going to be so freakin' awesome!  Here are some of the questions I ask myself and how I answered them this year.  I am not going to list everything, just the things that may be interesting to you or are more general and will serve as an example.  

What am I grateful for?
1. My loving husband, George.
2. My babies (dogs), Sarge, Pearl and Mitra.
3. Friends and family.
4. My health, the good and bad of it all.
5. My ability to read, which enriches my life more than I can say.
What did I accomplish in 2014?
1. I did a 15-day juice fast in May.  It was not easy, but it let me know I can be disciplined when I want to be disciplined.  I can’t use the excuse, “I don’t have any discipline,” any more.  I know better!  Damn.  That makes life a little more liberating and a little more scary.  LOL
2. I wrote a novel in November.  Last year I found out about National Novel Writing Month (nanowrimo.org) where participants write the first draft of a novel in 30 days, and I wanted to participate.  I finished on November 29.  Whew!  I can’t wait to finish editing the novel and I plan to participate again this year.
3. I finished 4 extensive knitting projects, three of which involved many skeins of yarn, and one of which required only two skeins, but involved lace and took many hours to complete.
What can I improve upon in 2015?
1.  My sleeping habits:  I don’t get enough sleep because I go to bed too late and still get up early most of the time.  I will have less Fibromyalgia pain, more energy and will be more productive if I get 8 or 9 hours of sleep a night, instead of 6-7.
2. My eating habits:  I haven’t been eating enough greens or fresh fruits and veggies. If I eat better I will have less pain and more energy, and will likely lose some more weight. Yes, it will take more planning, I won’t be able to just find something in the cupboard.  I will eat six or more servings of fruits and veggies a day. The benefits will outweigh my love of laziness.  LOL
3. Clutter in my house:  My house isn’t my sanctuary right now, it is a bit of a mess. When my house is tidy again, it will better serve me and my needs.  I will be able to work more easily, will be more productive, and my home will be easier to clean.  Above all, I will enjoy my home more.
What are some steps I can take right now to help myself meet my objectives.
1. I can ask a friend of mine to help me with accountability.  I asked one of my girlfriends to do “Integrity Day” with me. This is where you schedule a day, or even a few hours, to check in with each other every hour.  During the check-ins, you say what you did the last hour and what you plan to do the upcoming hour, and so on each of the next hours planned.  It creates accountability and you end up getting more done.  This is something for once a week or less often, and is used to help you finish up projects or things you have procrastinated on, not normally for day-to-day tasks, but it is up to you.
2. I signed up for a food-related challenge. January 5 through 25 I will eat one raw vegan meal a day.
3. I hired a professional organizer.  We started on January 8.  My house is already so much better!  All my out-of-season clothes are stored away, I donated a bunch of clothes and some kitchen items, and my pantry is cleaned out and organized.  I have been doing my yoga and meditation practice in the space I designated for that years ago, but that had gotten cluttered.  Not anymore!  That is a huge thing for me!  Doing my yoga and meditation practice in that space is making a big difference in my life.  I am writing more in my practice journal and I am doing more yoga.  I often did my own practice at my yoga studio, but I am not there every day.  Being able to get up and do my practice in my home increases the time and benefits of my practice.
These are just some of the questions I like to ask myself at the beginning of the year.  I focus on the positive, on gratitude, why I am proud of myself, what I can change and why, and how I will change the changeable.  I find this helps me more than focusing on the past and what was wrong.  I like to come from a place of love for myself and my life, and a potential for joy. These are the things that change my life for the better and that will, ultimately, cause the least amount of stress. With all this in mind, what will you change and how will you love yourself more this year?
May 2015 bring you joy, love and peace.
Many blessings,
Julie