Happy New Year! It is 1.4.22 already. How have your first days of 2022 gone? Yes, that is whipped cream that I added to my coffee this morning to celebrate. Yes, I am starting off hitting my goals set for this year.
This year I did not make any personal New Years resolutions. I wrote out some blog goals for this year, and I have some personal intentions that I am going to continue making progress on. As you may know, I like to try one new thing every month. It keeps life interesting! I am making progress towards using less chemicals and fragrances in my cleaning products. I am always learning about cooking and healthy eating habits while I enjoy a little of the “good stuff” along the way. I am learning that I enjoy working out outside of my work some days, but not others. I am learning to listen to my body and what I need.
Sometimes when we substitute one item for another it helps make our goals and ideas for improvement easier than dropping or adding in something all on its own. Have you noticed that? It is easier to buy a new bathroom cleaner with less fragrances/ chemicals by replacing it with another cleaner bathroom cleaner. If you really like to crunch on chips, don’t buy chips to have at home instead try carrots or a fresh veggie that will give you the same crunch as you burn the calories in the food while you eat them instead of storing the fat in the chips. If veggies are a stretch, try a lightly salted chip – one that you know how to say all of the ingredients on the label, or make your own!
Take one substitution at a time. When we start with one or two things at a time it is easier to afford, easier to attain, and easier to figure out what works best for you rather than wasting time and money on things that you won’t really use or have the time to look into.
Time is another thing that we need to figure out substitutions for. Want to go to the gym, what are you going to give up? We have the same number of minutes each day now as we did last year. You have to get up early to work out, go for a walk on your lunch break, do some crunches during a commercial break watching evening tv – you will not last in succeeding with adding in time to work out if you are not willing to give up on some other area of your time. Remember what is important: feeling comfortable about the skin you are in. Eating and Exercising have a big part of that. Mindset and Stress also play a big part in how your body is doing. Start working on one thing at a time. Over time you will see change and be proud of the outcome. Key word: time. These things will not change over night.
Remember to reward yourself as you make progress. Buy the chips or whipped cream to celebrate. Remember how far you have come. Listen to your body about what is working, what needs to change, and find a way to enjoy your current self. You are a work in progress. Progress that takes time to change, see, and become.
Not every change is going to be the best change. Sometimes the season of life we are in is not suitable for one substitution or another. It is okay to adapt your goals as you need to. Maybe working out 5 days a week is too much, but you can make it there for 2 days. Celebrate that! Maybe you cant get yourself to eat salad once a day, but you can once a week. Celebrate. This is what progress is! Acknowledge it and be kind towards yourself for when things go backwards.
Life is always going to be changing. When we get into the right rhythms that work for us we can then adapt them as needed. It takes at least a year to figure that out as I am. I don’t keep track of how much I exercise outside of work. I exercise when I know I need to stretch, walk or get out of my head. You can learn to do the same, and you will as you progress over time.
Cheers to progress! -Em
A Time for... Everything 
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