quietly reflecting into the new year

I have enjoyed being home the last week. Our. Christmas was relaxing and the break has been refreshing and rejuvenating.  I needed this week of quiet reflection. It helped to have some time without the clutter of school and lessons. I was able to sift through the clutter in my head. As we approach the end of 2012 and the start of 2013, I have had an entire week of reflection.

Part of me was negative about my accomplishments in 2012. And then I remembered how I started 2012. I had my ankle cast removed a few days before and I had a wicked-nasty bout of the flu. I did a lot of learning and growing in 2012. I wish I had better documentations (something I would like to work to improve) but I know I am ending 2012 stronger and wiser than I started it! I am ending 2012 on  positive note. I feel good going forward. In the past 12 months, I started to find what makes me happy. I touched the surface to listening and learning and loving and mending.

Instead of a resolution.

This year I have a word.

This year my word is COMMITMENT.
I am making a commitment to myself.

Commitment to: More listening.  More learning. More loving (of myself).  More mending.

So I am making a commitment to me!

A commitment to remain me, just an awesomer me!

 

I have been debating what I wanted to do for 2013…..a list of 13, 35 for the year I turn 35….I just didn’t know what or how I wanted to do this post. Then I read a post from my friend Alicia. Alicia is committing to a year of self-worth and has decided to do something once a day, once a week, a month, etc. working towards that commitment.

My commitment to myself, to be me, only awesomer, sounds a lot like self-worth.

So, I borrowed Alicia’s concept and came up with a few things to help with my COMMITMENT!!

Once a day
~downward dog
~self portrait – with one positive word for the day, me, my outfit…something!
~journal (food, activity, mood)

Once a week
~review past week and list at least 3 positive
~at home spa treatment

once a month
~learn/try something new
~mommy/daughter dates

once every quarter
~walk/hike thru a NJ park or beach
~take a yoga class at a real studio

once every 6 months
~publish a vlog
~weekend with hubs

Once a year
~marathon
~massage or facial

I must like the number 13. I wound up with 13 different things on my list of “once a… in 2013″ list

I am looking forward to the next chapter in my adventure!

Cheers to a positive, healthy and happy 2013!

 

photo source

enjoy, not stress, the holiday

Oh, holiday season.

Oh Christmastime.

Oh, Christmastime.

I had such a hard time finding my Christmas spirit this year.

I have been dealing with things breaking – my furnace, my car, my phone, and my heart.

There have been tragedies, and I am not talking about them here – not yet, anyway. My heart is heavy and my brain cannot wrap around it all. I am choosing to bury my head in the sand and hold on a little bit tighter to my loved ones.

I have not been in the Christmas spirit for many reasons. Yes, there were the broken things to fix. But it is more than that…I love Christmas but I did not, do not want to go into debt for a holiday. I don’t want to stress about food and weight loss or gain.

I want to enjoy this holiday.

That is it.

I want to enjoy every aspect of this holiday.

And this is exactly what I am doing!

I am really only buying gifts for my husband and daughter.  I am not spending a small fortune on them, instead, I am looking for what they want/need and adding my own flair for fun gifts that are perfect for the person. AND, I am paying cash!

CASH only!

For anyone else, Q’s grandparents and miscellaneous family, we are making a plethora of homemade goodies: sweet/hot salad peppers, sour dill pickles, stuffed cherry peppers, banana bread*, zucchini bread*, and Somoa bark.  I will make up little goodie bags, filled just for the person.

I have baking and cooking to prepare for Christmas Day – where I have an open house every year. I make sure there is food and drink all day long, and I invite everyone to stop by when they can, in between their family visits. It is a great time! And because I plan and prep a few days ahead, I don’t have to be a slave to the kitchen!

More and more, especially this year, I am enjoying the holiday, the spirit, the love of my family and friends! I did not use credit cards, I did not buy needless gifts for people who already have enough (like my mom – when she wants something she buys it) and who do not need more knickknacks.

And this year, I am not going to stress about weight loss or weight gain or the I should eat this and I shouldn’t eat that. I am enjoying the time with my family and I will enjoy the foods of the day. THE DAY.  There are goodies I only eat or make on Christmas and I plan on enjoying them all.  For too many years, I have tried to “diet” my way through the holidays and I wound up hating it!

I am focusing on my family, my friends, and my self.

I think I have a good grip on a happy and fun holiday! Yesterday, I went shopping and bought remaining items off my daughter’s list, all the food and drinks required for my holiday menu.  I even made a list of what needs to be done and when to get it done.

I am organized.

I am excited.

And while this year, I started out a little stressed about money (a broken furnace and car will do that to a person), I turned it around and I think it is shaping up to be amazing!

I am ready for the festivities.

Are you?

 

How do you make your holidays stress free and full of festive fun and cheer? After Christmas, I will write a post with pictures and a sort of timeline of how I celebrate Christmas at my house.

 

*I freeze the banana and zuccini breads that I give out for gifts. I figure people already have a bunch of sweets and cookies out and are given even more, so I freeze the breads I give out!

pv.body review

Last month I received an AMAZING email from Hope of pv.body – a new company launching a new service! I first heard about pv.body at Fitbloggin12 and I have a few bright blue bags from the last lunch (many people took the tanks and water bottles but left the bag) that I use for grocery bags. Hope emailed saying she found my blog and loved it {side note: I am still completely amazed there are people who read my ramblings} and had an opportunity for me!

We set up a phone meeting and within 2 minutes on the phone with Hope, I was sold! You see, pv.body, has this program (much like those fruit of the month clubs I signed my parents up when I was in high school band and we had to sell fruit every year) where for a very low price you can receive an entire workout outfit (one top, one bottom) each month.

You start by taking a little style quiz – where you tell pv.body what kind of activity you prefer, what colors you like, and what pant length you like the most. I was a lot concerned when I realized pv.body only goes up to a size Large.  If I never lose another pound, I will continue to yoga and run and walk and sweat/workout. If I never lose another pound, I deserve to wear cute workout clothes. Yes, I am bigger than a size large but I want to get my sweat on!

I talked to Hope about just this subject. pv.body is a new company, and it took off rather quickly, faster than they expected. They will be adding in additional brands and additional sizes in the future, hopefully early 2013.   The company, and certainly the rep I connected with, are interested in what I have to say. I was asked all about my blog, the whys and whatnots, and I in-turn asked all about pv.body. After our conversation, I wanted  in!

I was totally sold!

Basically, it works like this….you take a style quiz, pay less than $50 and pv.body sends you a pretty Fit Box with one workout bottom and one workout top…do you know how much “they” charge for workout clothes?!?!

I opened my pretty pink package and found a compression tank and a bright blue pair of running tights, each wrapped in tissue paper. It was like opening a present! Both pieces were from a company called Nux. I had never heard of this company but I instantly loved the bright blue color of the running pants. AND Nux is a US company – made and designed in the USA.

Sorry, that last pictures is pretty bad. I am not good at taking pictures of myself…especially in form-fitting head-to-toe running gear. The tank was a bit small (but not bad for a Large since my girls and belly require an extra large) and the pants fit perfectly!!

I may be a bright color convert!!

Ok, so here’s the details… pv.Body costs $49.95 monthly. At first, I thought that was a lot of money…hey, I am sort of cheap when it comes to workout clothes…gotta save the $$ for the running shoes! Really, workout clothes can be $50 and more per piece for good quality. So, I decided to join pv.Body‘s ambassador affiliate program which gives me a 20% off coupon to offer you. 50% off brings your  first month to only $39.96. Now that’s a steal! Even if you sign up, get 1 outfit and quit, my coupon easily pays for itself.

If you are interested, use my link, and click on “Take the Quiz”. That will set your preferences and you’ll get an idea of the types of clothes they are offering.

 

 

 

 

Full Disclosure: pv.body reached out to me and sent my outfit free of charge. I have joined their affiliate program which means I will make a % of each sale my site brings them via  my link. All opinions expressed in the post are my own.