New Year's Resolutions

Someone told me that January 5 is the most stressful day of the year.

So be REALLY REALLY impressed that I'm writing today. Because I don't feel it. I feel exhausted. I'm ready to hibernate from life for awhile. I've had about all the teaching/diaper changing/cooking and cleaning/moderating ridiculous arguments that I can take for 2011. That's right, I've reached the quota. Do you hear me MacGyver, Eldest, Secondborn, Not-so-toddler and Baby J? I've had ENOUGH.

Deep breath. Slow exhale.

I wrote in my journal last night before I fell asleep. I said "Why is it so easy for me to park myself in neutral and let life push me along?"

When things get stressful, I go limp. I just do what I have to do to survive and turn my brain off. I like to call it hypersensitivity, overstimulation, anything that makes me sound like a victim.

Truth is, it's just plain old laziness.

So I have one single resolution for 2011. I shall endeavor to do, act, feel, think, write, and any other verb that applies in any situation in which my normal response is to ride out the wave and do nothing. Even if it annoys me. Even if it exhausts me.

I've gotten off to a good start. In two days I have exercised for 3 hours. I have watched what I am eating even though detoxing from the holidays is no easy process. There is no doubt I've room to do better. But the point of this year shall be to do a little better than before.

What about you? Resolutions? Plans for the new year?

Dare You, Part 2

I realize it's not tomorrow. Upon my word, this is the first time I've sat down to my computer since my last entry.

My weekend consisted mostly of attending a women's retreat with about 50 of the women from my church. If you are a woman and you haven't recently attended a church retreat with other female-type people, you really must. You will hear shocking things about your friends at 3 in the morning and say things about yourself at 4 in the morning that you will later wish to disclaim, but all in all you will not be sorry you went.

I also must say that something very encouraging happened at said retreat. One of the women in our church who is a physician in a family practice gave a short workshop on women's health. She reminded us of routine tests we need or don't need to worry about, she gave us a few tips about some other issues related to women, but it was her final note that made my heart sing. She said that she has been doing some of her own studying and strongly suggests that we get two things out of our kitchens. Trans fat and High Fructose Corn Sugar. She also said it would benefit us to be more active. Here here to acknowledging the problem AND the answer.

This is the first time I have ever heard a doctor say anything like this. I know that there are some that do, but it was a relief to me to hear it in person.

That's going to cost me another heated debate, I'm sure, but I had to say it because I was so pleased.

Now on to the second part of the dare. There isn't one. I had a really good one, but judging by my lack of time, the measly 26 pages of my book that are already greatly in need of revision, and the extreme business of most of you, I just don't think it would work right now. So you're all off the hook.

With that I'll say goodnight.

Updates.

So I've looked some more into medicinal herbs and I'm thinking I'm going to plant a few in my garden next spring. I'm going to try Feverfew, St. John's Wort, Lavender, Peppermint, Chamomile, Sassafras, Yarrow, and maybe a few more. I got the idea in Yorktown, actually - they had a post-Revolutionary farm and in one of the gardens they were growing medicinal herbs all along the edges. I'm excited to try it.

I've discovered as well that the Shred makes my hip and sciatic nerve hurt. So far I'm just pushing through it. I'm hoping it won't get any worse, because my son grabbed the camera a few times on vacation and took some lovely full-body shots of me that made me want to cry.

At least it was the reminder I needed to make myself get better about actually taking time to eat breakfast and lunch rather than just grab snacks all day until the kids are in bed. I've been making sure I sleep 7-8 hours and drink enough water as well.

Am I the only woman out there that has such an uncooperative body the year after a baby comes? I think it has to do with nursing, at least for me. It's so frustrating to eat right and exercise and still look like I frequent buffets and sit on my duff all day.

But I digress. All I can do is try harder.

How is everyone else doing with their commitments to stay healthy? Time for a weigh-in! (Pardon my pun...) Hit the comment button and let us have it.