Today I am sitting here in my living room reflecting back on the past 2 months. My goals this year are so different than they were last year. In January 2015 I was totally focused on improving my physical health. I walked 2015 miles in 2015. I walked in one 5k and 2 half marathons. I joined Weight Watchers and lost 32 lbs. I felt great and I was very proud of myself.
I am still focused on my physical well being. I plan to walk over a thousand miles this year and to lose the weight I gained back and lose about 10 lbs. more.
But this year I am focusing on some other parts of my life that contribute to my all around health. For one thing, I am focused on spending more time with family and friends. My mom lives 15 miles away and she is going to be 87 years old this year. My husband’s mom lives in the same town we live in and she will be 86 years old this year. It is important to me to spend time each week eating lunch with them, visiting them, going places together, and letting them know with my words and my actions how much I love them. I have other family members who have just moved up to Oregon. I have not lived anywhere near them since I graduated from college 38 years ago. We have lots of catching up to do and I plan on making memories with them that will last a lifetime. As I get older, I realize more and more how short life is.
I am also focusing on doing things I enjoy doing. I love being creative so I plan to do more photography this year and to continue experimenting with abstract digital photography. I have a Swedish weaving afghan I want to finish and I want to try my hand at new creative outlets.
There are things I am doing more of this year that focus on my mental and spiritual health. I am reading some classic books this year. A few summers ago I started reading only classics in the summer months. I haven’t done that for several years so I decided this would be a good year to cross some of those classic novels off of my “to read” list. I have a read through the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs in a year plan that I am doing as well as a Scripture memory program I work on each morning. I attend a weekly Bible study with a group of older men and women. I am 61 and I am the youngest in the group. The stories they share and the joy they find in life brightens my Wednesday afternoons.
So, even if you don’t walk or run as much as you would like to, you can still find things to do to take care of yourself. Health and fitness are words that cover many other things in your life including your physical health. Find some things you like to do that make you grow. Set new goals and be persistent. You will get there. You can reach them. Focus on your overall health and find joy in whatever you choose to do.
