How did your Christmas go? Same as always? Worse? Better? Was it joyous or disappointing? Did you overeat, undereat, overdrink, underdrink? I’m sure there was excess in your day in some form as there was in mine but time to knuckle back down.
Whatever you did I hope you enjoyed it and at least marked the occasion even if like our Diane you just had a ham sandwich and a bottle of bubbly at home and walked the dog. It’s a funny old day and each has their own ceremonies, traditions and rituals. Some I know had a very sad Christmas with loved ones passing in the week prior and often sad memories resurface so it’s a tough time.
For me though, Christmas was not at all as planned but it was still a day of XS in so many ways. I found out a couple of days before that my sons weren’t going to be with me from 10am Xmas day until 10am Boxing Day, so after I dusted myself off from that, I moved on and made the most of the morning. With my partner, my family and the boys, we have a few simple little rituals – a cup of tea together, a swim in the surf at Rainbow, brewed coffee, opening of presses, Ferrero Rocher, spearmint leaves, chocolate éclairs and whatever nuts or lollies are around with bacon and eggs and more coffee. Usually then we start the prep for Christmas Lunch which goes for hours and then the clean up and really it’s all just too much ridiculousness.
A big pink blow up bed!
But this year someone suggested a drink after the boys left and I said: “no it’s too early”, “nah…..it’s not”, “ok, why not” – so then a game ensued knocking down timber skittles in the back yard, the brekky plates were replaced by cheese platters, coffee with beer and wine, then finger food, chicken and salad, pav, more cheese platters, white wine, red wine, sangria mix in my new Xmas pressie glass dispenser, and so it went. A huge day of extreme excess but that’s what we Aussies do or we are disappointed and feel we have failed.
On Boxing Day we drove up the beach, with a salad, some water, and our togs and recuperated in the surf and I mentally revisited 2016 and, as per my recent post, ticked off my goals and reflected on the year that was. I am very happy with my weight loss – it’s possibly at the top of my gratitude list. With 13 kilos gone my whole life has changed already. It’s hard to believe as I have a lot to go but until you know HOW to lose weight – you won’t – and I learnt the right way so now there is no fear, just achievements and targets.
Inskip Point
I love the work I am doing in events and marketing – working for a great company with truly good people and again learning so much from the team and also the guru’s who help us.
I love my home and although a rental, it totally serves all of us – it is 2 minutes to Uni, 5 minutes to school, 5 minutes to work and 15 minutes to my eldest’s work. It has a back yard, a basketball hoop, is well insulated so we don’t need air con, and is more like a home with more comfort.
I have managed to make ends meet this year and enjoy more of life by continuing to chop out all excess costs. I pay off the power fortnightly, the phone monthly, I haven’t been to a hairdresser for over a year, no false nails, and the only make up I use is MUD which I promoted on Instagram over a year ago – you buy it from Woolies, it is so cheap and, for me, it is perfect. We have been eating takeaway a bit over Christmas but through-out the year we have been pretty good just preparing everything at home. I hadn’t bought any clothes until Christmas week when I decided a few newbie’s were a bit of a necessity.
2017 is the year of dreams for me. I have enrolled in a Bachelor of Communications at the SC Uni which is something I have dreamed of since I was about 20. I am filled with pride and confidence and believe that this is just the beginning of a big learning curve for me. I was inspired to do this degree at this time because of a funeral I attended recently, where a great man passed and his eulogy made me realise it is never too late to start. So in 2017 three of us will be at Uni and in 2018 all four of us!
We are going to a wedding in London in September 2017 – yahoo – this fills me with tremendous excitement as I have dreamed of returning to England after I spent a year there in the mid 1980’so England, Ireland and Europe for a few weeks will be SO exciting!
I have been a member of the gym for a couple of months but hadn’t made a start, so I began my work there today with PT coaching from my 16 year old son! I think he is pretty proud of me and didn’t seem to be embarrassed at all! (Such a shame). It is part of my next phase of healthy living – I want to lose the other 20 kilos before the trip in September so I enjoy the miniature plane seats they offer.
Long way to go!
Today’s Gym session was followed by my favourite week-end treat – the Acai Bowl and then a surf at Maroochydore with my son – what a way to start the day! This is all part of my daily plan going into 2017 and I chose to start before the start of the year as it is too much pressure – this means I am already on my way so I can just enjoy New Years Eve…. at Coffee Rocks….at Rainbow ….because it is my new FAVOURITE place!
So my advice? New Years Day is a Sunday. The next day is Monday. We hate Mondays. Double whammy when it is the 1st of the year. It’s too much pressure – start NOW and you sneak in before the start of the year so it’s not as tricky. Indulge your good intentions NOW and then it’s easy to jump back into it on the 1st or 2nd – you are already on a roll.
So Happy New Year everyone! I mean that. 2016 has been a shocker for so many of you so I wish you health, wealth and happiness for 2017 plus luck, love and laughter. I also hope you achieve your dreams and this time next year we can all say – WE DID IT! Stay safe. xx
