A New You, A New Me

Years ago when a good friend and I were making New Year’s resolutions over the phone in early January, she said, “I don’t want to do last year over again, do you?” It struck me that I often stick with the same routine each year, doing the things I enjoy but not challenging myself beyond my comfort zone. While NONE of us want to repeat last year, maybe we can agree that we’re ready for a change up/switch up in our routines to brighten the coming year. Are you ready for the “New You” challenge?

#1 Learn something new

Have you looked at a continuing education catalog recently? Computer courses, art history, photography–so many classes, so little time. Perhaps there are classes offered at a junior college or through your local library. I may dust off our Pimsleur CD’s and see if I can get past lesson six in Italian.

#2 Visit somewhere new

Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farm is a historic site on the Santa Fe Trail two miles from our house. I’m featuring Mahaffie this spring in a blog. I visited the house and the wonderfully designed Visitors Center during Christmas. Find a place that you’ve always wanted to visit and go exploring whether it’s a museum, a hiking trail or a bake shop.

#3 Get moving

Do you walk or exercise regularly? Change up your routine: walk a different route; make changes to your exercises–within reason of course. My sister swims laps at the YMCA. I would love to find an English or Scottish Country Dancing group. My dancing shoes are ready but so far I haven’t found a local group. I may have to do this at home in the living room–by myself. How about pickle ball at the community center?

#4 Challenge your brain

Mix it up. If you do crossword puzzles, switch to sudoku. It you do sudoku, switch to scrabble. If you do scrabble . . . you get the idea. And if you really want to make the gray cells tingle, learn a new language!

#5 Create something new

Cooking is very creative and you get to eat the results. Win win! Quilting is a big project so tackle something smaller if that fits your mood and objective. Whatever you choose, creating something tangible is very satisfying and mood boosting.

#6 Repeat #4

Try a different genre of literature. If you gravitate to fiction, try reading non fiction and vice versa. Is your church offering a Bible study or guest author/speaker this winter? Have you read a biography recently or a book on travel? And speaking of travel . . .

#7 Plan your after-vaccine trip

We can dream, can’t we? Start planning your trip, whether it’s the big one you postponed or a smaller one–but just as important–to see loved ones. Our travel revolves around visiting family. Happily, we shared dinner and gifts with our daughter’s family on Christmas Eve. We’re waiting impatiently for our vaccines before we fly to Texas to visit our son’s family, which is way overdue. What are your plans?

Lastly . . .

This is not a metaphor for 2020, although it could be. Since the pandemic, many of my friends have tackled long neglected closets-garages-basements-file cabinet-kitchen drawers in a huge cleanout. If you’re done with your cleanout, good for you. I’ve only just begun, but I must say I felt euphoric driving my seven bags of reusable items to a donation center. It was like shedding pounds for a good cause. All of which is part of making a new me. Here’s to our “New You, New Me” challenge. Go for it!