New Habits for the New Year

A rainbow over three homes next to a lake
A rainbow captured on New Year’s Day

I few weeks ago, I wrote that in 2021, I wanted to make more time for myself. I’d noticed that my body seemed to be craving more movement and my mind was longing for more quiet time to read, write, and work through ideas. But part of being kind to myself means not setting near-impossible resolutions and then beating myself up when I don’t adhere to them. Doing that can really mess with one’s self-image. It’s important for me to set goals that I can actually meet.

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The Body Knows: Learning to Listen to My Gut

The author smiling and wearing a baby on her chest

Over the past few months, I’ve been working on tuning in to my body. The first lesson that Kara Loewentheil teaches in her coaching program is that emotions are physical sensations in the body. To process an emotion, you have to allow yourself to feel the physical sensation and then name it. When I feel a lump in my throat, a knot in my stomach, a racing heart, or heat rising in my face, I now stop and take note of it. I observe the physical sensation with curiosity. I ask myself, what thought is causing this emotion? What can I learn from it? What is my body trying to tell me?

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This Earth Day, Let’s Reconsider Our Lawn Care

Purple wildflowers and weeks sprout up among blades of grass in a residential lawn

Today is the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day. Lately, while spending so much time at home, I’ve been thinking about the impact of our lawn and garden activities on our ecosystems. As I work in my dining room and go for walks around my neighborhood, I’ve become more aware of how many of my neighbors regularly have their lawns sprayed with synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. The homogeneously green, weed-free grass might fit a contemporary perfectionist aesthetic, but I cringe each time I see a TruGreen or LawnDoctor truck roll down the street or notice the little flags in the yards designed to alert people that it was just sprayed.

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Celebrating 2019’s Wins and Planning for the New Year

Lush, flower-filled Irish countryside at dusk, with the coast in the distance

As I’ve written before, New Year’s Eve/Day is one of my favorite holidays because I love fresh starts and the optimism they bring. But before launching into listing all the ways we could do better in the coming year, I think it’s a good practice to remind ourselves of the things we did well this year. I tend to be rather hard on myself, and I often move on from my successes quickly while dwelling on my failures and shortcomings. The year’s end is a good time not only to think about how I might improve, but also to reflect on victories big and small.

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What Fitness Looks Like for Me Right Now

Fitness equipment - sneakers and a yoga mat

This time of year makes me want to slow down. The shorter days and cooler temperatures prompt me to stay in bed as long as possible in the morning and lounge around the house at night, curling up with a good book or going to sleep early. My circadian rhythms mimic the daylight.

After a hectic October, November feels like a deep breath. The grass and weeds have stopped growing for a while, the evenings are dark, and the holiday season isn’t yet in full swing. My workload and other commitments have eased up a bit. Summer is over, winter is coming, and my instinct is to hibernate.

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