A gift unwrapped and ready to go

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Birthdays are a great time to reflect on the year that was and that new year of life you’re about to have. Frankly, birthday resolutions are more effective for me than new year’s resolutions. A few days ago I officially entered my mid-30s. It was not without much pondering, as expected. A few days before my birthday I was getting mini-anxiety attacks. What the hell is happening to my life? Am I on track? Should I have gone left when I turned right? What am I gonna do or be in the next few months? Where do I get new shoes to celebrate my new year?

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Birthday candles on my cake, per my toddler’s imagination

After a few hours of jittery wallowing, I threw my hands in the air and just went “Okay! Move forward!” I think everyone needs those few hours (or days… or months…) of reflection just to get their bearings. You know, sort of like when you’re in the middle of a crazy crowd and you’ve lost all sense of direction so you stop and think and look around and not move at all. Then you pick a way forward and there you go. Pause and go. That always helps. That little respite, that little break to just re-balance yourself always, always helps.

Here’s how I’m moving forward with my new year in life:
1. Drinking no more than 1 cup of coffee a day. Ever since I started working remotely it’s like I’m hooked up to a coffee IV. Very bad. Coffee wakes me up and gets me going through the night, which is another reason why I’m cutting down on it. (See #2.) Surprisingly, this wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. In the past 4 days, I’ve only had 1 cup of coffee. Yes, congratulate me PLEASE!
2. Sleeping more. It doesn’t help that it’s 2.30 am as I write this but c’mon you guys, I’m trying. I’m trying out this new schedule of waking up earlier than usual to get more work done & sleeping earlier than usual (aka midnight) for my health’s sake.
3. Cutting off negativity. This applies to old connections, nagging and clutter. I’m not even going to talk about them more because it just feeds their negative energies. So let’s move on to #4.

Oh wait, there’s no #4? Yes, there is no #4. These are the 3 things I will stick to in my new year of life. Simple, sweet, and good for my heart and well-being. I don’t think the above 3 will ward off mini-anxiety attacks in the future, but I’m certain they can help minimize any sort of life jitters I may have. If I don’t drink coffee, I’ll be less likely to stay up late, which will get me sleeping earlier, which will prompt me to finish work earlier, which will encourage me to wake up earlier to get work done, which means I’d have to sleep earlier, which goes back to me not drinking coffee anymore, especially at night. All this packaged in one solid box of positive thinking.

Top it off with a pretty pink bow and that, my friends, is my birthday present to myself.

Wish me luck!

8 Comments on A gift unwrapped and ready to go

  1. Michelle Padrelanan
    August 6, 2012 at 8:42 am (12 years ago)

    Happy birthday Toni! Go slowly on getting rid of the coffee, you might get coffee withdrawal symptoms. :) If there is such a thing!

    Reply
  2. Faye
    August 6, 2012 at 9:44 am (12 years ago)

    loving this list Toni! and congratulations on the caffeine cut down! (I wish I could follow suit soon!). HAPPY BIRTHDAY AGAIN! Loving your bday cake as well!

    Reply
  3. Cham Cuartero
    August 6, 2012 at 10:21 pm (12 years ago)

    Happy Birthday! I can really relate to your #1, 2, and 3. My my my… Thanks for sharing this… Truly inspired me to move forward too… :)
    Cham Cuartero´s last blog post ..UPCAT Diaries: The Lost Pages

    Reply
  4. Maqui
    August 7, 2012 at 12:23 am (12 years ago)

    happy happy birthday, toni!
    Maqui´s last blog post ..Rainy Day Rants

    Reply
  5. Run Around Girl
    August 7, 2012 at 10:26 am (12 years ago)

    happy birthday! yay for sleep and positivity, but is coffee really that bad? i feel it makes life so much better :)

    Reply

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