My Journey With Health And Fitness – Starting A New Year

We are once again bringing in the new year at the condo. Since 2018 we have only missed doing this once (2020 due to the pandemic). I think back to 2018 and all the changes we have seen in our lives and realize we truly are in a different place right now. It’s not just that we are both retired, ok admittedly my husband much more than I, but our priorities have just so significantly changed. Moreover, we are at a point where we appreciate the good things life has given us.

I have to acknowledge that this past year has been difficult to say the least. The loss of my brother threw me completely off balance and I have struggled to regain my footing. But tomorrow we start a new year and I have committed to getting back on track. Yes, I have not really faltered in terms of trying to stay fit (ok, the 2 weeks off because of that brutal cold did not do any significant damage to my fitness level and was absolutely the right thing to do) but I haven’t done as well in terms of things like healthy living. That is coming to an end as I plan to go back to focusing on my overall well being.

I am not a big believer in doing resolutions for the new year because in my opinion you are setting yourself up for failure. Instead, I like to set realistic goals and stick to them. I know I just need to remain focused on my overall journey which includes doing some more work on my mental health. My mental wellbeing was severally challenged this year and ironically not being able to run due to my ankle didn’t help because running was always so good for me to get rid of the thoughts in my head as all I could focus on was how much I hated running. I just need to find something to provide that distraction for an hour or so each day.

My other goal is going to be finding some new ways to give back to the community. I really am not sure what that is going to look like but I feel I have room to do more. Yes, I already do a fair amount of volunteering but I believe I have the capacity to push that even more (note, my husband will not be happy reading this). Maybe it is even finding some way to volunteer when I am here at the condo, I just have to figure it out.

Finally, I plan this year to not take anything for granted. If there was one thing I learned in 2024 it was your life can change in a second. Sometimes you just need to stop and look at all of the good things around you and give them full appreciation.

Happy New Year to all of you. May 2025 bring you all the joy it can.