New Year

Normally I don't have resolutions for the new year.  They always felt contrived  and too easy too easy to break.  I know that it's easier to reach goals when they're SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound).  This year I'm setting my resolution as getting outside more hopefully in an attempt to increase my health through moving more.  I've left it more open ended so that I don't feel constrained.  I plan on making other changes to finally get myself to live the life I wan.  It's said that starting too many things at once can lead to your downfall.  It's stressful and can easily feel overwhelming.  So the big takeaway can be small changes, a little bit at a time to make it stick.  I'm trying to keep this in mind while trying to be healthier and starting my year off right.

I wanted to take thirty days to really start to remember to love myself.  Why 30 days?  A few reasons.  While I've done them before, I wanted to do a Whole30 to help address my sugar addiction.  I have also recently gotten into yoga.  I really enjoy Yoga With Adriene on YouTube and wanted to do this years 30 days of yoga.  Both of these things I'm starting today so that both will end with January.  I'm looking forward to doing a version of Paleo after the Whole30 and continue with yoga.

There's also the concept of doing things that you loved to do as a kid for exercise.  The idea is that you'll still truly enjoy it and it won't feel like you're actually working out. I'm really looking forward to getting back to hiking, backpacking, and biking that have been helpful and enjoyable in the past.  One of the amazing tools I love using is REI.  They offer classes that are free or cheap to help with basics for different sports.  Sometimes it's fun to get reinvigorated in being healthy by learning something new about a sport you like or learning a new sport related to something you already enjoy.  Coming up, I'm doing a Basics of Winter Camping class so I can have all four seasons to get outdoors.  I'm also taking a Hiking the Appalachian Trail basics class so I can work towards accomplishing my long term goals.  I really wanted to take the snowshoeing class but unfortunately it conflicts with my schedule.

So small changes, getting outdoors, taking classes from local sports stores or community providers are the main things that I'm employing to get healthy.  I also plan on wrangling friends and family into getting outdoors with me.  Luckily, most of the people in my life are already into moving more.  Having a support system can also be really helpful.    I'm really looking forward to being where I want to be in relation to my health.

Can We Start a Countdown Yet?

So I think it's fair to say that despite me still being on the younger side of being an adult, I am no spring chicken anymore.  I feel old even using that phrase.  I'd like to think that at this point I am able to set goals and create a plan to reach those goals.  You know, like an adult.  However, I seem to spend a solid amount of time setting personal goals that, are admirable, but aren't necessarily SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound).  I then flounder about trying to achieve them through weird trial and error, but mostly error, and then quit.

After two and a half years, I am nearing the end of my Interpreter Training Program.  It has always felt worth it, but it hasn't always been easy.  Between limited full days off, having limited time with my boyfriend who became my husband, and trying to find time for the sheer amount of homework, getting to the next semester was what kept me, and others in my cohort going.  Without having to explicitly say it, we all had a SMART goal of becoming an interpreter.  Now that we are nearing the end of the program there is so much more to think about than what is happening next semester.

I won't bore you with the details, but it boils down to finishing our last semester while also preparing to take the first of two national tests, getting all of our professional memberships and clearances lined up, slowly amassing an appropriate wardrobe, plus a litany of other adult things that will prepare us to be freelance interpreters.  It's exciting and a little scary, in a good way, and fairly surreal.  I am so amazingly ready to do this.  And by that I mean that I am fully aware of just how unprepared I am.  But I am supremely looking forward to continuing to learn and getting out in the community to foster open and effective communication.  But first, let me get trough the next semester.