Monday, August 22, 2011

Happy New Year!

Bear Mountain Preserve - Telluride, Colorado
May, 2011

No, I have not lost my mind and no, you are not in a time warp!  And while I'm at it, no, I have not dropped off the face of the earth.  We returned from our trip to Beech Mountain, North Carolina on Tuesday and on Wednesday morning, our new year began!  

For those who might be new or may have forgotten, my husband (affectionately known as Mr. B), is on the faculty at one of our local community colleges.  It is a job he dearly loves and cannot wait to return to each fall.  He also teaches a summer school course during the month of July.  We travel during May/June and the 2-3 weeks between the end of his summer class and beginning of fall term.  That is the routine we have established over the years and is a lifestyle that perfectly merges differing goals we have as individuals.  The two week period just before classes begin is set aside as a "rest" time because once the fall semester begins, his schedule becomes relentless until the following May.   It is a time we guard closely and although we do try to go somewhere new, it is usually closer to home and allows plenty of time for quiet reflection, goal setting and communication.  In other words, it's the start of our New Year!!  And truthfully, it feels much more like a new year to us than January 1 ever does!  So once again, HAPPY NEW YEAR from me to you!

Having said that, I will confess that my transition this year has been difficult.  I always miss him terribly when he first heads back.  The house seems so empty and I have to remember how it is that I adjust.  So in addition to the things we talk about together, I spend lots of time reflecting on my own personal goals for the upcoming year.  It's a time I really enjoy, but still, the fact remains that the house seems big and empty!!  

This year has been particularly poignant because it was one year ago, on August 19th, that Mr. B's dad died.  You all were right there with me and I will never forget your kind words and support.  But we've learned that those days will now be forever associated with our "New Year" and Mr. B's return to school.  He actually missed the first three days last year because of the services for his dad.  

So I imagine it is both of these things along with some other issues that have sent me into a frame of mind I can't even put into words.  I find myself dragging with little energy or motivation to do much of anything.  That includes blogging, reading blogs or giving a rip about healthy eating or losing weight.  The heat wave continues in Tennessee, so even a journey into my beloved Great Smoky Mountains National Park doesn't hold a whole lot of excitement.  

But I sense a change just as I knew I would.  One thing I've learned with age is it's better to feel the feelings, cry if you need to, find help from friends who know you well and wait patiently knowing it's a part of growth.  Rather than trying to talk myself out of this, I've just waited without forcing myself to do, think, be or act in any way simply because I felt that I "should!"  Since last Wednesday morning, that has been my mantra and I woke up this morning knowing it had worked.  Something just felt different. 

So here I am with some new ideas and new ways of seeing Life Through Sharon's Eyes.  There will be GAINS and there will be LOSSES, not all of which have to do with losing weight or healthy eating.  Yes, I have New Year's Resolutions and yes, I plan on keeping them.  This blog is about to undergo some changes that I hope you will like.  But rest assured, it'll still be just plain ole me trying to make progress, not become perfect and doing it one day at a time!

Just curious!   Does anyone else see this time of year as your NEW YEAR?

10 comments:

  1. YES -- ABSOLUTELY!!!! My life will always operate on an academic calendar. The new academic year is so full of promise, energy, anticipation, and more. I love it! It's a wonderful time for setting some goals and making a plan to meet them. I've often talked about creating a life syllabus... semester by semester.

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  2. Hi Sharon! I never thought of it that way, but it is the time when the most changes happen in our lives, considering that we have 4 children.

    The teenage daughter is going to high school this year which starts at 7:30 a.m. So the very early morning workouts at the gym are not do-able this year. I have had to make another plan/resolution to work out later in the day, two times per week on weekdays. And then the 2 huge workouts on the weekends. So this will be extremely different for me.

    Also, I love the fall and it feels so renewing to me with the colors, breezes, and cooler temperatures. It is a perfect time for me to accomplish fitness and food/weight goals.

    So I would say that this post was one of those kind that permanently changed my perspective a little in a way that matters. That is probably one of the biggest compliments a post can get. :D

    :-) Marion

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  3. For a very long time now, my life has revolved around my kids and the school year. So, yes, this time has seemed like the start of the year in my mind. But, I have never been introspective. Despite all I've talked and thought through in the time I've been blogging, I tend not to reflect on myself and my life very often. Hmmm.

    And now you have peaked my curiosity about you and your blog:)

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  4. My mother was a teacher, so yes, it is a new year in a way for me, too. Also, I take stock that I only have 4 more months to reach my goals for the calendar year. Hmmm...

    With age comes wisdom, indeed, and we are old enough to look inside ourselves and give the feelings time to be worked out. I do this quite often, and usually time heals all.

    Looking forward to the changes in your blog, although there's nothing wrong with the one you have now. ;-)

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  5. Yes, I am a teacher and an academic, so this time of year always sparks thoughts on the new year. This year will be different for me because I still have one semester left of sabbatical, which is delicious.

    I think our motivation toward getting healthy and fit wanes and flows just because this is a life long journey. There are days when I think, man this is hard and will i ever be bake to let my guard down? Most of the time I know this is for life and my life, but there are times I wish it weren't so. Ass the temps cool in your neck of the woods, I am guessing you will see renewed vigor. . So, your own motivation will recharge, too.

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  6. This is a time of transition for us too. I need to reframe it as a new beginning like you have because I really don't like this time of year.

    It is crazy busy for 65MD and I feel like we're roommates rather than spouses during this time. Also, I love the summer, so the cooler temps bring on a bit of sadness for me, since my favorite season is drawing to a close. (I know I'm probably the only person in the south that has loved the record highs!)
    Lori

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  7. I loved your thoughts about waiting patiently for the feelings to process and pass. This is something I kind of knew about myself, but I hadn't quite given myself permission for this to be okay. Thanks for your insight Sharon. And BTW, you are on my list of 'must visits!'

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  8. Happy New Year!

    I used to think of this time of year as the beginning of the year, but now I do it in January :D

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  9. Totally! We get new clothes, organize our lives to a new schedule, eat differently. Everything is new this time of year, and there are resolutions.

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  10. Spring is my 'renewal time', but I do feel a transition this time of year. Or I usually do. Right now, it's too danged hot to transition. :)

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