My Intentions for the New (School) Year
I often find myself conflicted with the thought that people can’t change versus people change all the time. I know myself and I know that some things I can change while others, mostly bad habits, always find their way back (biting my freaking nails). I also know that I am more motivated to make a big change internally amidst an external change to my environment rather than any random day. For instance, the first day of school, first day of work, first day of summer (really any first day) and the most obvious: the new year.
I try to think of my changes as little new habits rather than resolutions or strict regimes. I know that I’ve tried to stop the nail biting but it's the one stress tick I can’t seem to rid, so I move onto the next bad habit. I have a bread addiction. A bad one. Really it includes all carbs. I love pasta, toast, crackers, chips, pizza, I love it all. And even though I really love salads and veggies, I could live the rest of my life on carbs. To rid this addiction, really any addiction you start small. The concept of stopping cold turkey is obscene to me. It never holds. One day you’ll be fed up and give in (people don’t change). So instead of cutting the carbs for good one day, you start by removing certain foods from your grocery list. The first week you stop buying a loaf of bread. Next week you remove the pasta and the week after you remove the petty snacks.
Now this doesn’t mean you can't ever have one of the above again, it just means you limit yourself. Maybe you only have toast on the weekends or you save the big bowl of pasta for when you go out with friends. The not so fun part is trying to replace those fluffy, comforting carbs with something else. The thing no one tells you, is nothing will be just as good. Zoodles are delicious, however, they can’t compare to a Penne Vodka. They will never compare. Even try the cauliflower crust pizza. It might seem cool and trendy and all that, but it won’t be exactly the same. SO with that somewhat destructive knowledge (or way of thinking), if you’re absolutely craving a slice of pizza, hell the whole pie, go out and get one. You’ll go crazy if you restrict yourself 24/7.
It's the small changes that make the big difference. Slow and steady wins the race. Little lifestyle changes. Not randomly deciding that you have to workout and only consume 600 calories daily, but rather deciding you’ll now take the stairs, and do some type of exercise a few days a week.
It’s obviously easier said than done. I just had a slice of pizza, a piece of toast earlier this morning and I’m slowly getting out of a week long episode of depression. My nails are shorter than they’ve ever been and my motivation to keep myself together is little to none. HOWEVER, this is just a bump in the road, not an ending or a downhill fall, just a little bump. Any change is not concrete. Life doesn’t just take a 360 without looking back. Some part of your old habits will always be hiding in the back.
With that being said, implementing new change comes with allowing yourself to make mistakes and fall off the track every once in a while.
If you’ve been able to navigate any of this rant of mine, congrats… you’re almost done with it. I’ll leave you with a short list of my own intentions, implementations, and thoughts for how I plan to adjust my lifestyle come the start of a new school year.
Less carbs
Stretch more - yoga, pilates, dancing, legs up on the wall
Go outside at least once a day - walking, running, biking, something to give you a breath of fresh air
Try to bite your nails less - or any similar bad habit
Study french daily - any language or hobby can replace
Set time aside for you and only you
Eat healthier - eat what makes you feel good
Listen to your body - it's okay to have a bad day, give yourself a break
Reach out to old friends and make new friends
Live in the moment - focus on the now and stop wasting life waiting
Some more important than others. Some I’ll stick to, most I won’t. It’s the thought (intention) that counts.