Batfit 2012 – Challenge #3: Bad Habits

For the Batfit Challenge #3, we have been tasked with identifying at least one bad habit and then replacing it with one good habit. In 2011 I accomplished this by finally kicking smoking and reducing time spent around toxic people.

In 2012 I hope to reduce my bad habit of spending hours and hours in front of the TV/on the Internet. Instead, I’d like to get out more, spend more time with friends, spend more time being active, reading, being creative – just being more productive in general!

So far in 2012 I’ve done great limiting my time in front of the tube, resisting the temptation to spend countless hours watching Hulu Plus, Netflix or my own DVDs by choosing to work out right after work, run errands, cook a healthy dinner, tidy up the house, read a bit, spend time with the boyfriend and kitty cat and then maybe spend a few hours in front of the TV. I already feel so much more productive!

For me, breaking bad habits is all about establishing a routine to "re-train" myself. A healthier habit is established after I've repeated and repeated it and replaced my bad habit with the good habit in my routine!

How are you doing with eradicating your bad habits this year?

Batfit 2012 Challenge #1: Journals

I'll be participating in Batfit 2012 this year with a bunch of fellow spooky bloggers who want to get in shape, be it physically or mentally (or both!). You can read all about the challenge on Le Professeur Gothique's blog or on the Facebook page (and even join in if you are so inclined)!

Anywho, our first challenge was to pick out journals where we can record our goals, our progress and our pitfalls. I found the cutest journals at Whole Foods that are eco-friendly and printed on recycled paper. And I just love the key motive and the message of unlocking dreams on the cover. Here are a few pics:

 

I am a few days late in starting to write in my journal, but I hope to start tonight!! My first task is to write about my goals for 2012...easy peasy, I did that yesterday.  Haha...perhaps I will "backdate" my journal! 

The second task was to write about what I consider to be "healthy" or "good health". To me, to be healthy means being strong and resilient, both mentally and physically. This year I plan to work on being strong inside and out! This includes eating more whole foods and avoiding processed foods and vegan junk food, re-incorporating exercise into my daily routine (and hopefully making it fun!!) and working on my stress/anxiety issues and being a more positive, happy person overall! You can read more in-depth about these resolutions here!

Being vegan is also a big part of being healthy to me (as long as it is done right), and hopefully I can share some healthy and yummy recipes to inspire you to adopt a healthier (not to mention more compassionate), plant-based way of life!

I'm hopeful that the sense of community will keep us all accountable and help us achieve our goals. I'm thankful for all those participating...you all inspire me and I couldn't ask for better company!

Thank you for sharing my journey to health this year and I look forward to cheering you on if you participate as well!

Happy Birthday to Me and New Years Resolutions

Today is my birthday (I am getting less and less excited about my birthday every year), and since I won't really be celebrating until next weekend when we go on a "glamping" (glamour camping) trip, I decided today would be the perfect day to share my 2012 resolutions with you. I usually don't do resolution lists, since I find them kind of passe and I'm more in the mindset of thinking that if you want change, you shouldn't wait until January 1st to implement it.

However, seeing as I want to make some major improvements in my life, I can't see a better time than my birthday to declare these intentions. And since my birthday falls on January 2nd, it pretty much perfectly aligns with the time for traditional "new years resolutions".

So, without further ado, in 2012 I resolve to:

 [source]

1.) Relax - I am a fairly anxious person that gets stressed out very easily, so my #1 wish for 2012 is to relax, laugh and let it go. Stress and anxiety can be so unhealthy, especially if when experienced frequently. I immediately notice the physical aspects of stress and anxiety in my body - tight muscles, higher pulse, etc. To combat this, I will try some homeopathic remedies (I can't wait to try Bach Rescue Remedy Tincture), meditation and breathing exercises this year. If that doesn't work I may need to go to my doctor to discuss it. One way or another, though, I WILL get my anxiety under control!

 Gothercise!

[source]

2.) Exercise - Of course I'm sure this is on many people's list, but it is sooooo important! In 2011 I became a total couch potato. After starting a new, intense job, all I wanted to do when I got home was lay on the couch...and that is pretty much how I spent my evenings (especially since now we have Netflix streaming, Hulu Plus, etc. that give us endless and instant entertainment options). I completely neglected exercise in 2011 (and put on quite a few pounds to prove it). So this year I want to get healthier by exercising more often and on a more regular basis.

 [source]

3.) Explore More - Speaking of being a couch potato, this really limited me from going out and exploring. There are so many places just in the city I live in where I haven't gone yet. If I put myself out there more, not only will I discover cool new places and people, but I think this will also make my life more fulfilling and in a way, more meaningful. Again, all I want to do after a hard day of work is lay on the couch, so this will be a challenge...plus, I don't want to drop $$ on dinner/drinks every night (not to mention the additional cost of gas), so this will definitely need some careful planning.

[source]

4.) Eat Healthier - I admit it, I am a junk food vegan. As long as dinner takes less than 10 minutes to prepare (or pick up) I am a happy camper. In 2012 I want to change that...I will stop relying on convenience foods (oh Gardein, I will miss thee!) and actually start making healthy meals for myself and Mister Spooky.

[source]

5.) Think Healthier - Health isn't just about being fit and eating healthy, it is also about thinking healthy. This resolution somewhat goes along with #1, in that reducing anxiety will help to develop a calm and positive mental mindset. I would like to banish negative thoughts, learn to live in the now and appreciate life more.

 [source]

6.) Buy Less, Live More - I would love to stop spending so much of my hard-earned dough on stuff I want but don't really need. I am a horrible impulse shopper and if I want it, I have to have it. Whenever I want to buy something, I will ask myself, "do I really need that?" and "will I be glad I bought that in a week's/month's/year's time?". I will also think about what other uses my cash could go towards - donating to an animal sanctuary (I love Farm Sanctuary!) or even saving up for a vacation. I also need to keep reminding myself that buying things don't make you happy, experiences or people do! I especially love this article about redefining "luxury" from the A Little Minimalist blog! Buy Less, Live More should definitely be my motto in 2012!

I'll be taking these resolutions day by day, and hopefully they will stick in 2012!  I'll also be participating in Batfit, so I'm anticipating that will keep me accountable as well!

What are your resolutions for 2012?

Also, you can check out what I was doing last year during my birthday via this old post!