Putting YOU on the List

Without making sweeping generalizations, I think it’s safe to say that most women are good at nurturing.  Whether they’re taking care of their kids, their husband or their cat, women are seemingly always doing for others.  It’s in our DNA.  One of my resolutions for 2010 was to put ME on the list.

In the past 12 years or so, I was focused on taking care of the kids and The Ex, as any good mother and wife does.  But I forgot me. I didn’t make the list.  Not nearly enough.  Last year, I changed that… and was so much better for it.  A better me.  A better mom.  A better everything.  So last night, when a friend asked me about my New Years’ resolutions, my answer was simple.  More of the same.

As women, we need to give ourselves permission to be on our list.  To make us a priority. We’re always so busy taking care of everyone and everything else.  What about us? Whether it’s making time to exercise regularly, sit down with a cup of coffee and a good book or treat ourselves to a manicure, we need to be on the list. That’s not to say that you need to stop taking care of others.  Far from it.  We just need to focus on making ourselves just as important.  After all, if you go down, the whole darn ship goes down with it.

Last year, I made going to the gym uber-important, and reaped the rewards for it.  It was a bit of a juggle trying to fit everything in and budget-wise, but it worked out.  This year?  Much of the same.  That endorphine blast that kicks in at the end of a work-out makes it totally and 100% worth it.  There is nothing like it.  And this year, the gym routine continues, now more than ever.

How else do I make myself a priority?  I’ve always loved journaling and writing.  Last year, I bought a notebook in January and started filling it with quotes I liked, affirmations, aspirations, goals and dreams.  This year?  Much of the same.  Madeline and I went out at lunchtime to get this year’s notebook and, of course, she needed her own too.  Mine was a pretty pastel flowered cover.  Hers?  A shocking green frog.  Both make us happy.  And as I go through 2011 and jot down things that inspire me and goals I hope to accomplish, it will be a wonderfully reflective journal to look back on at the end of the year … to see how far I’ve come.

My old trainer’s newsletter arrived in my e-mail box this afternoon, and something he shared (his wish for all of us) resonated with me, and I’d like to share it with you…

I wish you all the best – nothing more and nothing less.  Just the best.  The best effort, the best nutrition, the best training partners, the best coaches, the best time spent doing the best things, the best time spent doing nothing, the best time spent with those who make you feel the best, and the best of everything that life has to offer.  Now, if you take a little time to think about it you’ll realize that having the “best” isn’t that tall of an order. — Michael Bronco

Don’t we all deserve that? The very best?  Of course we do.  Now to go after it.

Before I leave you, a few programming notes.

• I wrote a piece on clean eating for Babble recently, and it went live today!!!  Since Babble was named one of Time magazine’s Top 50 Websites for 2010, you can imagine how stoked that made me!  With this week being the kick-off to Eat. Live. Be., the topic I wrote about couldn’t be more timely.  I do hope you’ll check it out – would love for you to leave a comment on it over there.  You never know when those fine Babble editors will want to hire another writer for their crew.
• In the spirit of celebrating the wonderful network that our little Eat. Live. Be. is quickly becoming amongst a wonderful group of bloggers, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention another wonderful network.  The group of bloggers that have come together to bolster the spirits of another.  Edie from Life in Grace.  A few weeks ago, her family suffered a terrible loss when their home burned to the ground.  They lost everything.  One of my three great fears in life is a house fire, and I can’t even imagine what they are going through.  As a regular reader of Edie’s blog, I know if anyone can pull through a tragedy like this, she and her family can.  Her spirit is like no other.  Her birthday is today and the friends that she has across the blogosphere have come together to hijack her blog a bit and work to raise her spirits in the only way bloggers can.  With words.  And memories.  Do stop in.
• And lastly, I’d like to introduce you to a few more bloggers that have joined our Eat. Live. Be. initiative.  Do go visit their website, learn about their own personal goals and cheer them on.  This support network, after all, works because of all of you.

Faith Kramer is kind of surprised to find herself middle aged and overweight. She has no control over the first but is determined to do something about the latter, especially as the added pounds are now causing health concerns.  Unfortunately, she has a taste for sweets and none for exercise, so some changes will have to be made.  In addition to her day job, Faith blogs about her food at Blog Appetit and writes freelance articles about food for several publications.

A High School Administrator by day, Chris’ passion for food comes out through her blog, Mele Cotte.  Cooking, baking and writing about food have become an entertaining means to create a personal diary of dishes, sweet and/or savory.  With her fitness and weight goals within arm’s reach in 2009, unemployment and all its stresses led to emotional eating, channel surfing, and an additional 25 pounds.  Happily, snapping out of the funk, getting back in the gym, and smart eating choices have given her Eat. Live. Be. for a Better 2011 a jump start with -18 pounds.  Thirty more pounds will make Chris a happy, happy girl.  And… maybe a race or two, even if it is completed at a snail’s pace.

Project 365
January 4, 2011, Photo #4
Unless we’re having company over and are camping out in the living room to watch a movie, we virtually never eat there, but tonight, on the way home from the gym, Madeline begged me. To sit “on the big couches in the living room with the big table and watch ‘Mona and Beezus. Please?” She then promised to eat all her dinner without running around like a wild banshee. I did, of course, have to explain what “wild banshee” meant. Then she pinkie swore. She must have picked that up in school today, because this is the third pinkie swear she’s done with me since she got home. No matter, it worked. I can’t even begin to count how many times she has watched this movie (thanks again to The Neighbor Wife for finding it for us!). I’m hoping it’s not because she’s studying Ramona’s behavior too closely. Lord help me if it is.