We’ve Got Big Plans For Self Care and Improvement This Fall

September is always a time for renewal for me. It’s a month until my birthday and I start reflecting on aging and generally make some resolutions for the fall around self care; it’s MY NEW YEAR. It’s been a busy summer as I went back to full time work and I’ve had less time to sleep, work out, clean, and generally look after myself, and I’ve not worked on creating time for myself. Now I’ve decided to really make some changes and I’m hoping to inspire some of you to put some thought into you, hence we’re doing self care September on GLV. Plus it makes me accountable and accountability is a huge part of sticking to your goals!

I’m not one to believe in horoscopes as I believe you make your own way in the world most of the time and I can’t imagine how being born under one sign or another affects your personality, but when I read this one, it hit home, so I conveniently saw it as a sign! Quite frankly once you start thinking a certain way, you’ll see that pattern of thought everywhere so this is why this came to me and hey, who else isn’t thinking very similarly to this in some way or another? Sometimes I believe in “signs” if I think they are the right ones and I’ll take this as one as it was all about the self care I’d been planning on.

I’ve got all sorts of “resolutions” ranging from fitness and eating better to housekeeping, to finance, to work goals and more, but to start off with I am going to start with health as without health you can’t get to the next level in the other channels. I’ve got a new doctor as mine moved, so I’m starting by getting all my blood work done, going for a pap smear and mammogram and making sure I take my prescriptions on time every day. I’m recently had a colonoscopy, oh what fun that was, so that’s already out of the way, thankfully.

I’m also going back to what’s worked and that’s for me for exercise-wise the Dailey Method.  I usually do their Dailey Cycle class as I love the combo of a forty minute cycle followed by floor work and weights for twenty. Also when I, and almost every other person I know, start on a fitness routine, everything else in life falls way easier into place. It’s been proven over and over again, and especially by yours truly.

Over the past two years I’ve lost 20 lbs, gained five, lost 22, gained 22, lost 8 and gained 12. And that’s just when I was counting, as I sometimes just give up on and stopped even trying, instead killing the stress with an after-work drink or three. Any time I’ve lost weight I’ve been going to Dailey, and any time I’ve gained I haven’t. The workouts, combined with better eating and way less alcohol are key, and my body changes so much when I do these workouts on a consistent basis, at least three times a week. If you haven’t tried a class, you’re missing out. If you really don’t want to cycle they also do Barre classes and classes such as the one I did today, Dailey Gentle, a calming, slow paced introduction to alignment principles, and many other styles that get you thinking about your body and work muscles you didn’t now you had. I’ve written about this studio before and interviewed the owner if you are interested in more, click here.

I’ve signed up for two more classes Tuesday and Thursday so far, at 7:00 a.m. before I go to work. So I’m committed this week and will continue to book classes as they come up, making sure I do 3-4 a week. I’ve also weighed myself with a body fat reading (again) and taken a before picture so I have a starting point. Over the past year these have been a number of before pictures, often ones of me just getting fatter and fatter (LOL), so this time has to be different.

So here we go again and I’m giving it my all. The inspirational quotes are pined around the house and I’m writing this to make myself accountable to y’all as well. Over the next while I am also working on getting a better handle on my finances, getting my house in order, being more productive at work, and more so any suggestions and comments are so very welcome, see you out there on this journey and let’s make this one stick.