New Year
Happy New Year! I can’t believe another year has gone by! It’s a new year and a new beginning!Like most of us, I find myself getting very reflective at this time of year. I feel very thankful for all of life’s blessings. I reflect back and consider life’s journey. There have been so many joys, gifts and pleasures in life, and as with all humankind, it has been mixed with it’s share of challenges, tears and sadness. Thankfully, I have been blessed with a life that has been filled with much learning and joy.
The kids are doing well. I can’t believe that Josh is 11 and Evan, my baby is 9! Where has the time gone?? Josh is totally into hockey. He got a net for Christmas and we can hardly get him to come inside.. he’s always getting hockey games going on the street, for hours on end. Now Evan is also into hockey, but as some of you know he’s now undertaken a ‘career’ in acting. He has an agent and is going out for acting roles! He just got his first paying gig! Watch for the Robitussin commercial; you will hear a kid cough – that’s Evan!! I’m waiting for that story to come out as he accepts his academy award!!
In this new year, I have decided to get my newsletter going again. I’ve sent it out previously to various groups, with topics that varied. I’ve had a lot of very positive and encouraging feedback; hence the new initiative. The purpose of this ebulletin will be to share words that will encourage, motivate and inspire. I’m going to work on a website too. If you know anyone that’s really good at doing websites let me know.
So here goes: A common New Years resolution is better health: Take this New Year as a new beginning. If you feel that your health gets less attention than you would like, set a realistic, positive health goal this year. Below are some questions that may prompt to you set a healthy goal or two:
- Is my health wheel balanced? i.e. am I considering and taking care of each part of my health?
- Am I exercising? How often? Is it appropriate for my health goal? Do I have enough variety in my exercise?
- Do I have a health buddy, i.e. someone who also strives for better health, someone that I can call when I feel like I’m taking a step back?
- Am I eating well for my body? Am I enjoying the food I’m eating?
- Do I supplement my food with vitamins?
- Do I get enough sleep? Most of us don’t meet our bodies requirement for enough sleep.
- Do I smoke? We know all the information about this – bottom line: it is harmful to your body.
- What’s my stress level like? I see more and more information that indicates that the more stress in our lives the faster we age. Our capacity to fight off illnesses decreases if our bodies are working hard on staying in the ‘fight’ mode associated with stress.
- Okay – a biggie for some of us – caffeine – A doctor once told me that there are over 500 chemicals in coffee. I told him he must be wrong, and suggested we go over to Starbucks and discuss it over a cappuccino! His bottom line view was that anything in moderation was okay. So define what moderation is, honouring your body.
- Alcohol – I like the moderation rule. Create awareness of this for you.
Remember that your body is your life. It depends on your moment by moment choices. Make positive choices that increase your investment in you. Nobody deserves that investment more than you.
Anne Rose
January 2004
