January Resolutions

I've decided that this year I'm not going to make New Years' Resolutions, rather I'll make January Resolutions. The years past have proven that about 4 days into each and every New Year my resolutions go out the window, so if I manage to keep them for these first 31 days, THEN I'll attempt them for the full 365:

1. No more refined sugar - this was promoted to my number one resolution after my glucose test came back as 2 points higher than optimal. I don't want to medicate my pregnant body, but since diabetes runs in my family there is a definite possibility of contracting gestational diabetes and wouldn't you know that one of the top difficulties in giving birth with that condition is that the baby is usually too big. As delightful as giving birth to a baby the size of Noel sounds I absolutely want to avoid that, so that means a change in diet and...

2. Exercise at least 30 minutes EVERY DAY - an obvious number two and a cliche one at that, but I enjoy working out and I've managed to become regular with it. However, these last few weeks I've slacked off big time. That could be because I don't allow anything outside of an hour and a half at the gym doing weights and cardio to be counted as a workout. I'm not going to have that luxury always though, so it's time to shape up, shake off the laziness that's crept into my routine and make a daily effort to move well.

3. Only check Facebook / email / websites I love 2x a day - Being online practically all day here at the office makes these distractions only a click away and while I know that this will be an easier resolution to obey once the baby comes (that is IF this one makes it through the month of January to become a full-blown resolution), I still want to detach myself from web 2.0 technology.

4. Devotions every morning - note I didn't say "first thing" every morning because that's too much pressure. I hit the snooze button several times to limit my get-ready time at the house down to the bare minimum & once I get to the office there are set-up tasks that have to be done right away. However, once those are out of the way, I want to get into the habit of settling down and reading the Word, journaling and praying. Making it a part of my morning will only lead to a happier, balanced day and who knows, maybe next year I can add the "first thing" suffix to this resolution.

5. Do something to bless Ryan every day - he is so good to me and I want to make his life the best it can possibly be. Whether it's a sweet love note or something very task-oriented like making his favorite lunch, I want to be thinking every day "How can I bless and make today great for him?"

That's it for now. I'm sure this list could get expounded on later, but I like to leave it at 5. It helps the anal-retentive part of my brain relax knowing I can count my new attempts at making this life better on one hand.