Since Christmas decorations are still up and there is a lot of laundry to be done and emails to catch up on, I'll keep this post short.
I have always liked January because it forces you to be intentional and look ahead to the new year. My fresh start to 2013 focuses on spirit, mind, and body. Rather than setting resolutions (we've all heard the statistics that only 8% of people keep them!), I plan to take small but powerful actions in each of these three key areas.
Spirit: I am currently going through the She Reads Truth Fresh Start study, which gave me the idea for seeking fresh starts in important areas of my life. The clincher so far? Hearing Moses' confident words as the Israelites flee for their lives from the Egyptians: "Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent."
You only have to be silent. I will be reflecting on how I need to still my heart and let God fight my battles.
Body: Last year at this time, I did a week of clean eating to set healthy habits in 2012. This year, you can expect more healthy, clean recipes that feature a lot of veggies. I love the sweetness of fruit, but I want to be intentional about creatively incorporating more vegetables into our meals. I'm a little tired of steamed broccoli as our green veggie, so expect more kale recipes and exciting experiments with swiss chard and the like! John and I will continue eating vegetarian once a week - and I'd like to up this to twice a week... we'll see how it goes!
I have also signed up for the Country Music Half Marathon in Nashville, which I ran two years ago. Several of my friends in Atlanta signed up too, so it'll be a fun girls weekend in April! It'll also be a great way to stay in shape and catch up as we train together.
Mind: As I've mentioned in a recent post, I joined a book club. The books we have selected for the first three months are already in different genres than I typically read. Even if I don't love all of the books, I am going to finish them in an effort to learn something new. I also intend to be more current on the news, and I know reading the paper on my new iPad (a big, surprise Christmas gift from my hubby!) will help this cause.
Any thoughts on these "fresh starts" areas? Any tips to help me in these efforts? Did you set goals for yourself? Feel free to share!
I think that is a great way to approach the New Year. I am doing something similar. My approach is better holistic self-care. That includes physical, spiritual, and mental goals. Good luck in your goals this year!
ReplyDeleteSherry, thanks for your encouragement! Best of luck to you as well in the new year!
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