Happy New Year indeed

What has made me very happy so far in the new year:
1. Eating at least 5 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables per day (usually 3 fruit : 2 veg, but that’s a start). Eating a lot of vegan/vegetarian substitutes instead of the real thing. Realizing that about half the week I really don’t care what I eat (might as well be nutritionally-balanced kibble), so using those times to eat as healthily as possible.
2. The other half of the week, when I have cravings and do care to eat something special, eating limited quantities of dessert and other “indulgent” foods. Maybe because of the vegetables, this doesn’t feel like a deprivation; I actually don’t want to eat as much of the “bad” stuff as before.
3. Discovering Linda’s Basics classes at City Yoga. Her classes feel warm, embracing, and joyous, and she really understands all the places I (and most people) hold tension: wrists, back, hips, shoulders. All these parts have felt wonderful since I started taking her class. Also: headstand practice in every class!
4. Walking to City Yoga twice a week at 7:45 AM (I love waking up early when I’ve planned for it) in my new shoes. And knowing that if I don’t feel like walking the slight incline on the way back, I can get on the bus and it will take me almost to our doorstep.
5. Not weighing myself, and not thinking negative thoughts about myself.
6. Buying things [link broken], thoughtfully, when I need them, but not worrying too much about money. Getting my debit card number stolen in late December was the last straw. Now we’re on a cash-and-credit only system, and it works. We take out $200 cash every Sunday to spend at the farmers’ market, Trader Joe’s, and Whole Foods, and keep what’s left for the week. Everything else goes on the credit card, and we know how much we should be spending. It surprises me how little I miss my debit card.
7. Reading great books, like The Emperor’s Children, and provocative ones, like The Food Revolution.
8. Enjoying my work. Trying to do it with joy and responsibility both.
9. Spending time with friends, and not always in a big group. I think I’m tired of organizing gatherings (after all, a great deal of my work hours are spent chasing after people who don’t reply to emails or calls; why would I want to spend my own time doing the same?), and my winter break left me feeling antisocial. So my friend-time has been very measured this January, and I savor it more as a result.
10. Being inspired by these photos.

In other words: BALANCE. I like it.

[This post was imported on 4/10/14 from my old blog at satsumabug.livejournal.com.]