Let's Do This! 2018 Here We Come

So another year has come and gone! It has been a year full of new friendships, new experiences, and new lessons. When I started writing this blog, I couldn’t figure out if I wanted to write about the highlights of 2017 or instead, what I have to look forward to in 2018.  After much procrastination I decided to focus on what is next to come! 

New Years Resolution
 
As cliché as it may be, I love setting New Years Resolutions; I am a goal driven individual. Although, let’s be real, this inspiration normally comes after the excessive chocolate eating and snaking from the holidays. Either way, I find myself inspired to start fresh when ringing in the New Year. This year, I want to focus on designing the life I want to live and to live that life. 

Making time for Me
 
This year I want to focus on ‘practicing what I preach’. As I get closer to becoming a health professional, I realize I need to get my own health habits in check before I can help others with theirs. So this year, one of my resolutions is to give myself more me time. I have decided to start yoga classes that will give me 45minutes to an hour of me time a day. As we all know, forming new habits can be challenging. For me, I struggle to ‘find the time’. To beat this barrier, I have put the yoga classes in my planner, just as I do with meetings, and class times. This way I am making sure I have the time to do yoga. I am starting with the goal of going to yoga a minimum of once a week, but hopefully working it up to a daily habit.
 
If you find yourself in a similar pickle, I would start by trying to identify what barriers are currently preventing you from achieving your goal. If you can’t find a resolution, reach out! I would love to help :) If it is time, try blocking time off in your monthly calendar to start. Once you are able to make time for your activity once or twice a month, finding time weekly and daily may become more doable once you’ve mastered doing the activity monthly. 

​Keeping in Touch with the People I Care About!
 
I am guilty of losing touch with friends and family especially when life gets busy. This year, I am stepping up my friendship game! I am going to reach out to my friends abroad at least once a month to check in. I am lucky to have friends who do not need constant contact to know we are here for one another, however I want to do a better job at knowing what is going on in their lives! @Asha and @Alex and @Haile get ready for more Skype calls this year! If anyone is tech savvy and wants to teach us how to use three-way Skype it would be much appreciated… technology definitely is not our strong suit!

​Fueling my Body for Success
 
This year I want to do a better job of making sure I am attentive to what I am putting in my body. I used to eat very well, and sometimes when I get busy I fall off track and find it hard to eat well. My solution to this is to: A. not bring junk food into the house B. drink more water C. meal prep! Once I make eating healthy a habit, it is quite easy for me to stay on track since I actually prefer healthy food to junk food. My challenge comes from being rushed- that’s right… that lack of time! I have also prepared a grocery list I want to follow to help keep me on track, while making my grocery trip quick and easy. Do you have a favourite healthy meal? Share the recipe, I would love to try it!

Getting More Zzzzzzzzzz
 
I am bad at not keeping a bedtime routine. My goal for this year is to keep myself active during the day, so I am ready for bed at an earlier hour! I am going to give up coffee, so I am not lying in bed wide-awake! For me, if I drink a coffee after 10am I can’t sleep at night!

​Do the Things that Make me Happy!
 
Sometimes I get so busy I find it hard to justify making time for the things that bring me joy. I feel like we are all guilty of this at times. This is something I am trying to change this year. Being happy is the most important thing. Once you are happy, you can do everything else with ease! I want to spend more time this year: outside; running; surfing; crafting; singing; volunteering and traveling! What makes you happy that you want to do more of??!!

Things I am Looking Forward to This Year…
 
So far I already have so much to look forward to:
 

• Mec Race Series with my Mum and brother (if you enjoy running check this out in your city!) http://events.mec.ca/node/147156
• Vacation to Mexico with Dan during spring break
• Starting my honours project at the IWK Children’s Hospital
• Spending another 4 months surviving school with my roomies (the coolest peeps you’ll ever meet)
• Upcoming work projects
• Living the life I want this year!!

 
What are you looking forward to in 2018?
 
Happy New Year Lovlies,
Annie