The last of my eyelash extensions fell to my desk with a thump as if to signal the end of my holiday glow.
It is with sadness I report that the post-Eurotrip high has reached its expiry date and not even a daily browse through our 2096-strong photo collection can bring it back.
Yes, it’s clear, life has returned to normal.
As we were away during the time I would normally have been making my long elaborate new year’s resolution list, I had to settle for mental notes and a delayed start. Here goes…
For my 2014 New Year’s Resolutions I thought I’d try something different. So I chose the theme realistic because I wanted to make simple but pertinent life changes and because a dose of realism goes well with my personality-type.
This is one of a very few images of a woman of colour i could find in a vegetable garden… going to try not to read into it 🙂 image from: world-crops.com
1. GROW MY OWN VEGETABLES
We were so lucky that during out Eurotrip we got to visit my friend, Kathi, and her family in Offenau in the Heilbronn district of Germany. Germans seem extremely conscious of what they put into their bodies. For instance, we had no salad while we were there because salad vegetables were out of season and they refused to eat any non-organic produce.
We were treated to home-made apple juice (kept in the cellar), home-grown spinach and free range eggs (as in the chicken who laid the egg was in our back yard). Besides being extremely relaxing, the trip inspired me to be more aware of what we are eating back home. I try to do the whole organic-free-range thing but often it’s just not affordable. That’s when I decided I would start my own veggie patch. I have been wanting to do it for a while but being exposed to that lifestyle just put me into gear.
Anticipated problems: I killed my plant (Finn) in October 2013. Too much water?
Too much sunlight?
Too much love?
I don’t know the circumstances surrounding Finn’s death but I am anxious about mass murdering my vegetables.
Solution: By using google, I plan to become an overnight expert. Stay tuned to see the garden progress!
2. BEING A MORNING PERSON
Shortly after the death of Nelson Mandela, it occurred to me that no one ever became legendary by cutting corners or wasting time. They certainly didn’t observe the late nights and rushed mornings that I do. The resolution I made was to wake up when the sun rises and rest when the sun sets. That way, by the time the day begins, I wouldn’t feel like I need a coffee drip for my drive to work. Religions and other spiritual orders have promoted this lifestyle for thousands of years. And if you really think about it, it doesn’t get more logical than planning your day early and respecting your body’s need to rest at the end of a long day.
While I make an excellent and inspirational argument, I have turned out to be my own worst enemy. I am entirely in awe of people who spring out of bed in the morning and begin admin but I just can’t gather the strength to apply it to my own life. I want to be a morning person and I am determined to make 2014 the year where I see more sunrises than I miss.
Anticipated problems: That life gets so busy that I can’t establish a healthy routine and that when I do finally get into a good rhythm no-one else around me will be in one and as a result I will be the only person in my whole life getting the recommended 8 hours of sleep which will lead to the untimely end of my social life.
Solution: Simply that we have to be the change we want to see in the world.
Don’t let anyone tell you that new year’s resolutions are pointless. Creating the intention of moving towards a new and improved version of yourself is already half the job done.
Here’s some Steve Coogan to end off with:
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