I know we’re only a few weeks in, but so far, I’m having a good 2012. It’s been mostly uneventful, but I can handle that. I never make resolutions but I do “try on” different things, and this year I decided to make a few changes that would benefit my mental health. One of them was to stop wasting time on things I didn’t enjoy doing in my free time. Another was to spend more time with friends and try to avoid chronic introversion as I tend to do.
Feeling healthier and exercising is helping too, because I don’t feel as sick or socially anxious.
The not stressing thing also includes trying to find balance and shedding my all or nothing mentality. Take blogging, for instance. Last year I stressed about not doing it, but the fact that I was trying to force myself to do it made it unappealing. And let’s face it…I normally don’t have enough to say to keep anyone interested. So I decided I’d do it in my own time, and if people read what I blogged, cool. If not, oh well. I was never destined for fame anyway, internet or otherwise.
I’ve also stopped trying to get to all of my social network sites every day. I go on Facebook every couple days or so. Same for Twitter. Tumblr is about a once a week check and even then I only browse or do a couple general “blah blah” type posts. I read an article awhile back (too far to even remember where) about social networking guilt. I don’t have it…much.
But while I’m cutting back on things, I’m also setting small goals to help me feel like I’ve accomplished something, because I hate the feeling of just being a lump. For instance, most days I’m setting a timer and actually cleaning, organizing, and packing. I’m trying to read a book a week, and I’m finding knitting projects and trying to set time goals. As for organizing, I have a handle on bills, email labels, and my work space at the office is finally feeling not so overwhelming.
All these things combined, seasoned with the little things I tend to really enjoy (my current tea kick, talking to my mom, spending time with my husband, relaxing in my snuggie) have made for a good start to the year. It hasn’t been all roses, but overall I’m feeling good and able to handle things that have come my way.
Onward, I’m hoping to keep this trend going for the next 11.5 months.
A.
The Romance Factor 