Ring-a-Ding 2018

We made it to 2018! I actually told my mom on Christmas day that I'm thankful our family is together for another Christmas (and that we're all alive!). Maybe it's the Italian in me, or I'm just getting older.

Now, about this new year. I don't do resolutions because they don't work. However, I do reflect on the past year and make a few "adjustments" going into the new year (for starters, writing a blog post!). I do feel rejuvenated and ready to make some changes in my life -- small but hopefully meaningful. Change has to take you out of your comfort zone for it to have impact.

So, I'll share a few of my 2018 pledges to betterment and will check back in February to monitor progress.

 1. Get Ready for Bed Earlier

 I decided to start my nighttime ritual of brushing teeth and washing up when my kids are getting ready for bed (rather than at 11 p.m. and half asleep), with the intent of kicking a few bad habits. Brushing my teeth earlier will prevent me from snacking at night, something I do regularly which gives me insomnia and packs on the pounds. I also used to be so tired that I would skip washing my face and just dive into bed (I know, the horror).  I also decided to start using a nighttime moisturizer to "lock in hydration" while I sleep. I'm trying out Beautycounter's Rejuvenating Night Cream.

2. Make All the Beds Each Morning

I feel weird writing this because you may be thinking, "What?" Yes, I am a grown person guilty of not making the beds each morning. Blame it on laziness and a busy working mom rushing around in the mornings when every minute counts to get the kids fed and out the door. Mom, if you are reading this, "Sorry!" I will make it a point to get this small task completed each morning, and perhaps get the kids to participate. If you can believe it, the NY Times ran an article on this called "Want to Have a Good Day? Try Making the Bed First"




3. Alter My Diet

Notice I didn't say go on a diet? I am going to follow Whole30 recipes and make a conscious effort to eliminate sugar, wheat, dairy and processed food. I am really interested to see how different I feel, and hopefully lose a few pounds. Since Thanksgiving, it's been a downward spiral so I am really excited about this re-boot. Today I made a slow cooker pot roast with vegetables, and the leftovers can be used in other recipes. I am also going to have a glass of warm lemon water each morning to hydrate and flush out toxins.


So that's all I have for now. I think three is a good start to kick things off. And if you are living in New England and have the January winter blues (we've had a horrible cold spell in the single digits to add to the misery) then read my blog post about How to Survive New England Winters

What are you planning to change this year?

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