My New Year Reinventions
“We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives… not looking for flaws, but for potential.”
~Ellen Goodman
For my New Year’s (and my birthday – December 31!) resolutions this year I decided not to set unrealistic promises of things that I am, or I am not, going to do. Instead I have decided to follow the advice of American journalist, Ellen Goodman and try to find ways to better myself – to reinvent myself.
Instead of having New Year resolutions, I am having New Year reinventions.
My first step was to reexamine the potential of what I am capable of; the possibility of what I can be.
I decided that instead of running the Boston Marathon, something that has been reappearing on my “must-do list” after my celiac diagnosis lifestyle change, I have instead committed to make a conscience effort to put exercise and physical activity daily into my busy schedule. A daily walk will be good for my soul too.
And while taking that daily walk I can listen to podcasts on the latest news about the gluten free market, celiac disease and food allergies. A much better alternative to making the impossible resolution to read the piles and piles of periodicals, and e-newsletters that accumulates on my desk and inbox. Recycle bin here I come!
Rather than promising to enroll in cooking classes – something that is nearly impossible to do considering my more than crazy schedule, I am instead going to expand my family’s daily menu offerings to include many, many innovative, interesting, ethnic, allergy free and gluten free recipes. My own kitchen will become my very own classroom!
It’s exciting to think about the possibility and potential of promises I can keep.
What are your reinventions for the New Year?
Tags: New Years Resolutions
January 2nd, 2009 at 7:04 pm
Happy Birthday and happy New Year.
Gradual reinvention is good. Nothing drastic though!
January 3rd, 2009 at 10:32 pm
Hi Celiac Husband (from http://www.theceliachusband.blogspot.com)
How are you?! Happy New Year to you too! Don’t worry – I’ll stick with the gradual plan… drastic is usually the recipe for disaster!
Be Free!
Kathleen
December 27th, 2011 at 7:08 pm
Yes, happy birthday and happy new year, Kathleen! I’m actually trying a drastic reinvention — to give up my unhealthy vice of being a Dr. Pepper drinker. It’s long overdue. Wish me luck!
January 9th, 2012 at 11:49 pm
Greetings Gluten Gone for Good Gladiators,
Happy Healthy Birthday and New Year , Kathleen and happy, healthy New Year for everyone else! Ah, reinvention, improvement, fullfilment the quest will it be found, will it be easy, will it take a lifetime? Sometimes the pressure we put on ourselves to improve this or that only leads to feelings that are negative and in turn causes issues with self-esteem. So my quest for 2012 is do my best, and never feel it was not enough, to be kind in all situations if possible and look for simple moments that make us smile. Like this past Christmas, I was at my local Stop and Shop with my younger son, and he saw Mountian Dew soda, which he likes and I buy once in a blue moon, well, this day was not the day for I had a grander scheme for Mountain Dew. Christmas morning, stockings and a bottle of Mountain Dew was my vision. Boy, did I enjoy this Christmas morning, my young son, ran into the living room and saw the Mountain Dew and what a response! The excitement, the appreciation and true belief in his words that Santa is the Best! He called that bottle of Mountain Dew which he savored for a week “SantaDew” and each time he enjoyed his beverage that smile was as grand as the moment he saw that bottle by his stocking. So my reinvention will be to create the illusion of magic in each day if possible for my family and others, be it simple, be it quick, always to bring a smile to the face, this will be my reinvention. Remember go easy on yourself, feel good about yourself and be good to others and on those days that this not possible remember tomorrow brings new hopes and new moments to get it right. One step at time, Rome was not built in a day. So keep your chin up and smile through the madness.
To a kind, healthy, peaceful and productive 2012 for all living creatures that share this world of ours.
Smile it does a body good,
Giovanna