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31 December 2014

2014 Recap and 2015 Plans

2014 Recap

  • I ran 12 5ks! 
  • I didn't run sub-24 except for one race that was way short.
  • After 10 years with MS, it started affecting my ability to run.
  • I started working with a coach and I love her!
  • I focused a lot on running, but didn't spend enough time doing fun things with Maple.
  • I got a new job. I love it!


2015 Plans

I find it overwhelming to plan for a whole year so I'm just making goals for January. The theme for this month is "Be Healthy," which for me means eating way better, helping my family eat better, and going to see various health professionals that I've been avoiding. Here are the (boring) details:
  • 50/50 (half of every meal should be produce)
  • No refined sugar or processed/packaged foods (except Larabars and Go Macro bars which I eat all the time)
  • Drink only water (I did this for a while last year and it was awesome)
  • Meditate every day (probably the hardest thing on this list)
  • Bake with new (to me) healthy ingredients, like coconut sugar. It's in my pantry but I haven't used it. Lame. 
  • No eating out for dinner (will also save money!)
  • Cook simple healthy food that doesn't take too long to make
  • Help Maple pack healthier lunches
  • Protein every night (beans/lentils/tofu)
  • Go to the doctor / neurologist 
  • Start PT for glute issue (my ass is broken)
This might seem like an ambitious list, but I think it's mostly doable, at least for a month. After January, I still want to eat healthy but I'll make some exceptions for pizza.

Here are some other themes I'm toying with for 2015:

Get inspired

Do you ever go to a museum or read a good book and feel amazing and inspired and realize with a sinking feeling that you've kind of lost yourself in the drudgery of everyday life? Recently I started to think maybe I could manufacture that feeling. I want to focus on that for some of the year.


Have adventures (in Seattle or elsewhere)

After the first year of living in a new city, I tend to settle in to my patterns and neighborhoods and don't really venture out of them unless I have to. But I love Seattle and I want to see more of it. Also we have two trips planned in the first part of the year so we get to have adventures outside Seattle too.


Spend more time with Maple

Maple still likes to hang out with me, and I want to enjoy that while I can. We are going to brainstorm a list of things to do together.


Use up (or give away) all my yarn

I've been lugging a box of yarn around since I went on a yarn-buying binge a few years ago, and I haven't used much of it. I want to use what I have and start fresh in 2016.


Read Shakespeare

For someone with a name like Portia, I've read very little Shakespeare. I have started Hamlet about 50 times and never finished it. File under helpful: I live with a redneck Shakespeare scholar.


Be interesting

Have you ever felt like you are getting boring? This year I felt like that. I have no idea how one becomes more interesting but it seems like it will be fun to try.


Be graceful

I'm not talking about physical grace here, but I've been told that I'm not exactly graceful about accepting things, especially the bad stuff. This is going to be hard, but it seems like a really worthwhile goal. I have no idea where to start.


Be a designer

I am already a designer, at least my job title says so. But I still feel more like an engineer. I've never had any formal design education. I have some ideas about how to be more "designery" and it will be fun to work on this.


Be crafty

This is related to the theme about spending more time with Maple. She wants to be more crafty and I am basically phobic about glue and markers getting the house dirty. I need to get over my mild OCD and let my kid have some fun.


Deal with your anger

Sometimes I am really angry for no apparent reason. What's up with that?


Do nothing

I am completely unable to do nothing. Even when I am relaxing, I'm being productive by knitting or reading or writing or what-have-you. On the rare occasion that I just sit around watching TV (which is still doing something in a way), I feel like such a jerk. Doesn't seem healthy!


Strangely, there is nothing on this list about running. I'm still thinking about my running goals for 2015, but I want to break 24 in the 5k. Yup, a carryover goal! I tried hard this year but it just didn't happen... yet! I also want to have more balance in my life, which probably means a little less running. More on this later.

What about you? What are you going to do differently (or keep doing) in 2015?

3 comments

  1. I'm still thinking about 2015...I like your idea of starting by focusing on just January. That seems a lot more manageable. I read a blog post by Parker Palmer today (http://www.onbeing.org/blog/five-questions-for-crossing-the-threshold/7167) and have really been thinking about his five questions. I've got some hard stuff going on in my life right now that makes all five seem critically important to answer, or at least think about.

    On a lighter note, I laughed when I read your yarn resolution--I did the same thing about five years ago, just gave everything away. Somehow I've gotten a bit of a stash again--largely due to a friend who spins--but I'm trying to not buy anything unless I have a specific project planned.

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    Replies
    1. Jennie - I loved the 5 questions. Thanks for sharing. I hope your hard stuff leads to some good resolution, or at least some wicked aliveness. :) And maybe you need an escape to Seattle?

      Regarding the yarn, I am really trying to knit it all up, but we'll see how it goes. I've just found a hat pattern I love for all my Malabrigo Lace, and that's probably half of my stash.

      Happy 2015!

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  2. Breaking up the goals month by month is a great way to make it all seem more manageable. I'm taking it one week at a time, one run at a time right now. That seems to be helping! My biggest goal this year is to run the Lake Placid Half, and if I'm feeling really saucy, I might actually run the Mad Half in Warren, VT, too! I'm at the midpoint for finishing my year of herbal studies. Getting that diploma will feel great. I'm also setting a long term, possibly in less than a year, goal of moving back to VT. We'll see how that goes- I need the right opportunity to open up. More than anything, my goal is to show up for my self this year, stay true to my integrity and sanity amidst the new (well, maybe not so new) challenge of a partner dealing with addiction issues. I want to stand strong in my self and bring compassion and love into everything that I say and do. Happy New Year Portia!

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