Blogmas Day 22: My 2023 Resolutions

Hey, hello, ho ho ho! I hope your day has not involved a migraine, lol. We embarked on a whirlwind trip to WV and back in 24 hours, so we could see my parents for Christmas and beat Elliott back to Ohio. Unfortunately, midway through the drive back to Columbus yesterday, the signs of an epic headache started to set in. By the time we were home, unpacked, and watching The Recruit, I’d reached the nauseous stage of migraine fun. Fortunately, a break from screens and a two hour nap today has me feeling a lot better!

All this to say – if there’s anything that can motivate me to latch onto new habits that I’m not particularly interested in, it’s encouragement from a doctor. I’ve been dealing with some stomach related health things since October (what else is new?), and my doctors have offered up a bunch of simple day to day changes that should really help with my overall wellness. We’re talking fewer headaches! Less stomach pain! Better mental health! Yeah! And let’s face it, the older we get, the more resolutions really translate to: do this for longevity, you dummy.

So, after the 25th, I’m going to take a well-deserved break from all the blogging, and putting these goals out into the universe a little bit early feels right! Without further ado, if you catch me ditching any of these resolutions, remind me of this post!

1. Prioritize sleep and a nighttime routine that lends itself to being in bed at a reasonable time! This assignment is coming to me not only from my primary care doctor, but my therapist as well. Adequate sleep is imperative for cognitive function, hormonal balance, and overall wellness, and you wouldn’t believe what comes along with those things! Focus, decreased hair loss, better moods, and a whole host of other positive things. Who knew?! I’ve been working really hard on this for a few months, but 2023 is absolutely going to be my year for good sleeping habits! I’m putting it out into the universe!
2. Exercise regularly. I’m not sure why this is such a hard habit for me to keep, but over the past few weeks, I’ve been equipped with helpful information regarding exercise. I think I (and a lot of us), put a lot of pressure on exercise – number of days a week, number of minutes logged, number of steps taken/calories burned, etc. That, my friends, is unnecessary. And I think that pressure discourages me from prioritizing exercise at all. Working out can be as simple as a lunchtime walk around the block, the three minute arm exercise you saw on TikTok, or a nice stretch before you get ready for bed. Small changes can help to create habits, so I plan on starting small and seeing where that takes me!
3. Develop a morning routine. Idk about you, but sometime between March 2020 and now, I went from, “Wahoo! I can sleep in an extra hour before I shower, eat breakfast, and start the work day,” to, “If I get out of bed at 8:28, I can be checking my email by 8:30, and sometime before lunch I’ll brush my hair.” And while this terrible habit hasn’t gotten in the way of work productivity, it’s still not at all a healthy habit. Taking a ton of inspiration from the people around me, I’m hoping to wake up at the same time everyday, and develop a morning routine that sets me up for success. I’m sure the people who have to see my disheveled portrait in virtual meetings will also be thrilled!
4. Kick my sweet tooth to the curb! Hilariously, a few months ago in therapy, I mentioned that I’ve always had a sweet tooth but that it seemed to be in overdrive the past few months. What can I say? I’m a dessert person. And to loosely quote Jessica Day, I think there’s something fundamentally weird about people who aren’t dessert people, but, I’ve been treating dessert like a staple and not a treat, and my finicky stomach is paying the price. Am I going to turn down Christmas treats? Heck no! But, will I be decreasing my candy runs to 5 Below? Yeah, lol. More fruits and veggies in the new year!
5. Last, (because keep.it.simple.stupid.) but not least, since I reached my yearly book reading resolution for the first time ever!!!, I’m increasing my goal from 12 to 18 books read in 2023. I’m already so excited for my new nighttime routine and tackling the new year’s reading goal!

I think some of us (it’s me, hi, I’m some of us) tend to look at self-serving resolutions as just that, self-serving. But!! It’s so clear to me these days that it’s impossible to pour from an empty cup and that really and truly, the people you love and care about will totally benefit from the best version of you. Well rested, healthier, focused you = kinder, better, funnier, friend/daughter/son/aunt/uncle/mom/dad/employee/whoever! Here’s to being a better version of yourself in 2023, and opening yourself up to all the opportunities that come along with that. What are some of your resolutions?

Currently listening to: “New Year’s Day” by Taylor Swift

xoxo 2023 me