Marching On

BEWARE THE TEMPTATIONS OF MARCH

We've already seen a couple of potential slips back to the old ways. I say we, because my partner, Cathy, is very much on the mindfulness path with me this year and like me, she's truly focused on making 2016 a very significant year in hers, mine and our combined paths.

The key word for 2016 is MODERATION. Without it we can all get a bit out of sync - especially as the days become longer, brighter and warmer, bringing with it all the temptations for breaking the routines.

This time of year always brings lifestyle challenges for me, and more so over recent years as I try to implement some positive life changes to re-address the balance in my hectic life.

For as long as I can recall, like many others, I suspect, I've been driven by desires to do whatever it is I'm enjoying at the time, with very little or no consideration for the consequences of my actions. 

Last year became a significant milestone in my life for a number of reasons. My years of pushing myself to physical and mental limits and consequently feeling the effects of living a 23 year old's life in a 43 year old's body, had started to catch up with me. It's been a good run - not many could have survived relatively injury free and sane after the extremes I've put myself through! But, long-overdue changes were needed all the same if I'm to survive the next 20 years. 

Looking back over the previous 12 months, I can see that February was a very positive time last year. However, there was also a break in the routine that knocked me off track a bit. Namely, a holiday with the lads. A Snowboarding holiday trip was a massive break in the no drinking routine for me and it took a strong resolve to get back on track after that. So this March will be very much the same. There's a snowboarding trip booked for the 12-19th and a couple of other birthdays planned this month with lots of fun friends involved too....

Key Learnings

Drinking needs to be in moderation and only on special occasions. Ample allowances are to be made for recovery time, with focus on lots of good food decisions and restorative exercise to get back on track as soon as possible. 

Sunshine can help to revitalise a hangover, so getting to bed at a reasonable time will ensure there's quality recuperation time allowed and it'll make getting back to the productive early morning routine much easier. 

Avoiding stimulants of all kinds will keep the body in a balanced state. Coffee, sugar and alcohol are to be used in small quantities. Not only do they stress the body, but with alcohol especially, they also break the self-control on spending money. 

It's been a mindful start to the year and it's going to require a strong resolve to keep us from breaking the budget in coming months!