It’s my birthday this week, and I tend to treat the day the way most people treat January 1st. This is the time when I reflect on what’s going exactly the way I want and what could use a little adjusting. I’ve always approached it from a whole mind-body-spirit angle since I truly believe that this perspective is the key to superior overall health.
This year, like every year, I’m excited about the opportunity for reflection. Since I’ll be turning 45, I thought it would be fun to come up with a list of 45 things I want to do more of in the upcoming year. And I want to share it with all of you. Here goes…
45. Eat more greens.
44. Drink more tea.
43. Mail more handwritten letters.
41. See more live music with my hubby, Al.
40. Read more Newbery Medal books.
39. Teach our oldest son, Sam, how to make five of his favorite meals.
38. Practice meditation consistently.
37. Buy a set of bongo drums and bang away.
36. Call my parents once a week.
35. Work up to doing 100-plus squats every day.
34. Reconnect with a couple of long-lost friends.
33. Write in the park.
32. Teach Max, our middle guy, how to make his favorite breakfast of waffles and bacon.
31. Call my mother-in-law once a week.
30. Walk in the sunshine every day.
29. Help our rescue dog move past her past.
28. Learn how to be a mom to all boys.
27. Say Go for it! to everyone around me—including myself—more often.
26. Tell my boys more stories about growing up on the farm.
25. Learn how to make kombucha and other fermented goodies.
24. Install a plug-in waterfall in my basement office.
23. Take better care of my teeth.
22. Teach our youngest son, Cal, how to make salsa and baked tortilla chips.
21. Learn about Buddhism.
20. Sign up for Lumosity’s brain training program.
19. Learn a new word every day.
18. Find out if there really is such a thing as brain food—and eat more of it.
17. Go to the movies all by myself.
16. Do more word search puzzles with Max.
15. Get a massage once a month.
14. Let the boys have more sleepovers.
13. Hike to one of the local natural areas each week with my family.
12. Trust my instincts.
11. Go to the drive-in with my boys.
10. Do more crossword puzzles with Sam.
9. Learn about gardening in small spaces before the next planting season.
8. Write a story with Cal.
7. Ask more questions, and pay attention to the answers.
6. Spend more time reading out loud with my boys.
5. Go on more dates with my hubby.
4. Laugh. A lot.
3. Take a kettlebell class.
2. Say more kind things—to myself and others.
1. Give more hugs.
There you have it. In no particular order, this is the list of things I plan to do in my 45th year to keep getting better and better. Maybe some of them will turn into future blog posts right here on SRP. Either way, I plan on heading into my 46th year stronger in every way.
How about you? Do you approach your birthday with dread or enthusiasm?
Photo from iStock/efesan
Paula Widish, author of Trophia: Simple Steps to Everyday Self-Health, is a freelance writer and self-healther. She loves nothing more than sharing tidbits of information she discovers with others. (Actually, she loves her family more than that—and probably bacon too.) Paula has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Public Relations and is a Certified Professional Life Coach through International Coach Academy.
Products by Paula Widish
