#BF4ME | New Year, New Resolutions? Nope, Just Resolve!

Now that Christmas and New Year's are behind us, all the talk is around whether people are still making resolutions or not. The general consensus is that they set us up for defeat and that very few people are successful at maintaining their resolution. I'm glad I started this #BF4ME challenge in November because I'm one of those people who could care less about resolutions, I just want to change and grow year round. It does, however, give each of us an opportunity to reflect on what went well last year, what didn't, and what we can choose to do differently in 2018.

I for one, was happy to say buh-bye to 2017, let me tell you! I did wake up on January 1st, however, with firm resolve. It was a knowing deep down that this year would be different.

re·solve

rəˈzälv/

verb

settle or find a solution to (a problem, dispute, or contentious matter)

"the firm aims to resolve problems within 30 days"

synonyms: settle, sort out, solve, find a solution to, fix, straighten out, deal with, put right, put to rights, rectify

decide firmly on a course of action

"she resolved to call Dana as soon as she got home"

synonyms: determine, decide, make up one's mind, make a decision | "Bob resolved not to wait any longer"

Resolve doesn't have a date attached to it, nor does it require creating a habit of some sort.

My paraphrase to the dictionary definition is to make a firm decision to solve a problem. My way of dealing with my health was to make a firm decision to enter a marathon, announce it publicly, and use it to inspire others to not only get active but to find ways to take control of their own journeys and destinies. It comes back to the recognition that bad things have happened, but how I move forward is completely in my control - my attitudes, my actions, my thought processes, and how I want to "be and do" in this world.

Saying that I have had some serious epiphanies in the past couple of weeks and have made some strides towards change:

I am an enabler. I had to choose my own mental health over that of another, and it was gut-wrenching to verbalize my boundaries, knowing they would be met with anger, and it wasn't even my kids! I also had to recognize that others' choices are not my responsibility. While I know this in my head, I would just rather look after things (or people) because it's much easier that way.
If I'm not okay, the influence on my kids and those I care about will be negatively impacted. It's quite preferable that we look after ourselves, considering that none of us can pour from an empty cup. This has smacked me in the face repeatedly over the holidays, so much so that I have told my teenagers that I'm on a staycation for the next two weeks. What that looks like is them taking care of themselves while I take care of me. So hard to do, and it's going to be very challenging to follow through on it.
I know that I know this is the year my health takes precedence, and that I am actually going to make sure of it. Between ensuring my brain gets what it needs, to finding sleep solutions, to setting emotionally healthy boundaries, to food choices, to .. ugh .. running to prepare for a 5K marathon, to reflecting on my spirituality, it all matters. Every bit that makes up me is part of my #BF4ME challenge this year, and I know I'm going to win!

So there's my resolve. Now to how things have been progressing.

The Good | finding joy

I decided not to weigh myself over the next months while preparing for the High Altitude Challenge in August, but rather measure my progress with size change, muscle tone and my ability to actually run. It was a mental boost the second I chose this path.
Kombucha! I've discovered that drinking 2.5 ounces before coffee or breakfast has improved my gut health immensely, as well as the acid reflux that has been tormenting me.
Christmas with my parents. I've never had my family members in my home at Christmas and I'm more than grateful for the memories.
A wedding. My kids and I were invited to share a special day with friends, a wedding that was planned in a week! It was beautiful and pretty perfect.
I attended a meditation workshop presented by one of our BFF volunteers. My head knows the value of deep breathing, my discipline (or lack thereof), however, has not followed suit. If you're not sure what meditation actually is or how it works, this Meditation to Embrace Difficulty & Open Your Heart to 2018 is an easy to follow, helpful introduction.
I fully enjoyed the season and didn't worry about much, outside of the crappy night my kids had with their dad. [read more here]
The Simply Fit Board I received for Christmas is pretty great [unbiased review]. I could never have guessed something so "simple" could work so well. It will be the key to my winter activity, and I actually enjoy using it.
I've implemented boundaries and self-care priorities, and I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. A friend of mine suggested that maybe dealing with some of that emotional weight may influence my physical health. I think she may be right!

"Unexpressed emotions will never die. They are buried alive and will come forth later in uglier ways." ~Sigmund Freud

The Bad | stuff that didn't go well

I ate too much. It was a deep freeze in Calgary, and we mostly hibernated which equals to no gains towards increased activity. The Simply Fit Board is helping with that.

The Ugly

Addressing the choices I've made or am making to inhibit healthy living - emotionally, physically, mentally, spiritually and financially - has been eye-opening but certainly no fun. One step, one day at a time. The ugly has been the internal struggle, the tears and the feeling of being alone (even though I know that's so not true!).

When you're trying to retrain your brain, being kind to yourself is paramount. This article on Forbes.com about changing negative thoughts was helpful for me.

As happy as I am that 2017 is behind me, I'm just as happy to see what unfolds in 2018!

Resources

Join the #BF4ME (Breaking Free 4 Me) Community on Facebook

6 Life Lessons Learned From Running

21 Ways to Help Yourself Heal | #9 is my challenge to myself this week! I've never successfully accomplished that one.

Vulnerability seems to have been one of my strengths throughout my life. This video is so powerful, bears watching again and again, and will provide insight on why it's so important:

https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability?utm_campaign=tedspread--b&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare