The only constant is change.
~Heraclitus, 535-475 BC
Ain’t that the truth. My world
shifted just before Halloween, and continues in a state of flux even now. My
dad’s been really sick, and as I type this, I’m sitting in his hospital room,
where he’s been since October. I have an entirely new routine. I’ve lost weight
(not by choice, at first, but I used it to jump start the conscious weight loss
plan). I see my kids through Skype video chats more often than I see them in
person, which sucks. My phone has gone from an only-when-I’m-out accessory to a
constantly-on-my-person-day-and-night appendage. And when dad’s stint at the
hospital is over, I’ll have to get back into my old routine again. But I’m not
sure I will be able to. Or that I want to.
Several of my new habits and
behaviors have to get integrated into that old routine. For one, my exercising.
I’ve started Jillian Michael’s 30-Day Shred (and yes, I curse her repeatedly,
EVERY DAY, but it works, damn her). When that’s done, I’ll switch to her Ripped in 30 program. After that, who knows? Maybe I’ll start training for a 5k, like
I wanted to do before Christmas.
I’ll also have to make more time
to cook healthy foods. I’ve been sticking to a vegetarian diet most of the
time, mainly to increase the amount of vegetables I’m eating. I have meat maybe
once a week, but I’ve grown to prefer a vegetarian meal. I can eat a lot more
without the additional calories, and I’m a lot less hungry in between meals. I’d
never have tried it if I hadn’t won a copy of EAT TO LIVE, by Joel Fuhrman,
from a contest on Elise Rome’s blog. Never thought I’d like it…but I do. A lot.
The most important integration
will be to add more music to my day. Some of you are looking at that statement
and wondering how on earth music could be more important than exercise or
eating vegetables. Well, because those things keep my body healthy, but music
is for my mind. And to me, that’s way more essential. Music inspires me. Drives
me. Rescues me from myself. I have playlists for every mood I’ve experienced in
the last three months. I have Pandora stations for my moods, too, but I use
those more when I want to experience new songs I may not have on my iPod
already. (If you’ve never used Pandora, I highly recommend it). Thanks to my long
hours in the hospital, I’ve gotten used to listening to music when reading,
walking around, eating lunch, and as soon as I get back to my dad’s house for
the night, my iPod is plugged into the speakers there—I never realized how
damned quiet my childhood home was. I run to David Guetta, Flo Rida, and
Pitbull. I fall asleep with Frank Sinatra. I wake up to Neon Trees’ EverybodyTalks.
Maybe it’s because if I’m
dancing/singing/feeling the music, I don’t have time to think about all the
other stuff. As coping techniques go, it’s not too bad. What I do know is that
without music, I’d be lost. So it’s definitely going to be a part of my new
routine when I’m finally home for good.
And now that I’ve completely
derailed from my original idea, I’ll stop there. *grin*
Since it’s the new year, many of
us have made resolutions for change. What are/have you changed in your life?
x♥x
Noelle
Oh, and the song for which this blog post gets its title:
x♥x
Noelle
Oh, and the song for which this blog post gets its title:
