Motivation

It's the new year, again.  Everyone is busy setting goals and making vision boards and being excited about new opportunities and new adventures and getting things done.  I also feel this optimism and excitement about recommitting to goals and thinking about what I want the future to hold.

 But, it is also January. 

It is cold.  And snowy.  And dark.  It's so dark.  I just want to curl up in my electric blanket right in front of the burning fire with a really, really good book and a cup of hot chocolate and read my way through the month.

Fitness goals?  Sure, I have them.  But am I feeling motivated to lose ten pounds during the longest, darkest, coldest month of the year when all I want to eat is a little bit of soup with my warm bread?  No.  No, I'm not. 

Ten day Cleanse?  No, thank you, the bread just got out of the oven.

So, this year I am trying something different.  I am going to look at each new month as a new beginning.  Taking into account the time of year, the different activities that each member of my family is involved in, and how motivated I feel to create change, I will set monthly goals accordingly.

January looks like this:

                 Read lots of books.
                 Bake bread.
                 Stay home as much as possible.

These goals are in direct conflict with the rest of the world.  I will not be working out, I will not be eating healthy, I will not be socially active in building a business, or anything else for that matter.

But, don't we deserve a reset month once a year?  Is busy, busy, busy really the ideal life?  I plan to read lots of educational, interesting and mentally engaging books.  I plan to try some new bread recipes and share with my friends and neighbors.  I plan to spend quiet evenings with my kids playing games, reading, talking, whatever they want to do.  I plan to reset my mental and emotional being after a busy year of doing all the things. 

This doesn't mean that I am quitting my job or all the kids extra curricular activities  or eating vegetables at all.  I realize that life doesn't stop because I want it to.  But, I'm not adding to it this month. 

Will February look different?  Most definitely.   I've got things to accomplish this year!