Well hello there!

Well hello there again! I've been busy these past few days, mostly with working. In case you didn't know I work part time at the liquor store in my town. I took the first photo above for use on their social media (found here and here). I worked at the liquor store about 10 years ago and loved it. I still do. I love the simplicity of it. I love the interactions with the customers. I love wine. It's not complicated. I like that. My last job was complicated, to say the least. I don't want complicated anymore. I like knowing exactly what I need to do. The liquor store does that. I can make a display and I don't have to ask 25 different people for their permission. The ladies that work at the store are supportive. And encouraging. I like that.Speaking of, I've been thinking (and if you know me, you know I think. A lot). I've made some major changes in my life recently (ahem...complicated job-gone. Complicated relationships-gone. Simplicity is our word for 2018. Live simply. Our grass is green. Don't sweat the small stuff. Down size. You get the point).  But there's an area of my life that I struggle with, and that's my health. My mental health, my physical health, and my emotional well being. They are all intertwined, no? So, here's my accountability. I'm going to put it into writing and hope you all will hold me accountable. I weigh more now than I have in many, many years. Once upon a time I was very healthy and had a weight that I could maintain (well, once upon a time I was super skinny but I don't think that's a realistic goal for me so we're going to overlook that part!). The Mister told me one time that I was the healthiest person he knows. I don't think that statement is true any more. At all. However, I can maintain a healthy weight that would be about 25-30 pounds less than what I weigh now. So, here's my plan:

1. Cut out sugar, and this means cutting out coffee. My favorite way to drink coffee is french press. But I also put sugar in it (and milk and cinnamon). So coffee will be a weekend treat. No coffee during the week. Only Saturdays and Sundays.
2. Cut out wine. I know. This is hard. Have I mentioned I love wine? And further than that, no more white wine. The sugar content in white wine alone! So red wine when I do drink wine. I'm not going to cut it out completely long term. Only short term until I get a jump start on my healthy living.
3. Exercise. Don't need to say anything more. Just get moving. Do what I can each and every day.
4. Eat better. I'm a grazer. I eat. A lot. But not at all one time. Or at least I didn't used to. But now I tend to eat more in one sitting. I feel better when I eat smaller snacks several times per day. Overall we eat pretty healthy. But we eat out a lot too. So I need to cut that out. If I eat at home and pack my lunch for work, eating shouldn't be a problem.
5. Mental health: by mental health I mean feeding my brain things that are good for it. I have really slacked off with this. Life got so busy and draining that I just couldn't focus on reading things that were more intellectual or learning new things. Hell, I couldn't think of words very often. I should have seen that as a sign that things were not how they should be. I started reading a lot of 'fluff' books just because I needed something to read. I don't want to cut out my chic-lit completely because I find some of it really fun, but I want to start adding in things that will help me grow mentally.
6. Emotional health. I think this will fall into the above categories and will be helped by exercising, eating right, and doing the things that make me happy.

I guess overall I just want to feed my body and brain things that will help nourish. But have a little fun on occasion. Find balance and moderation. Do homesteading things, being active in my community, be around positive, supportive people. All these things will lead to overall improvement in my health. And I hope you will follow along and hold me accountable. Starting today.Do you have a word, or theme, for the year? Any goals you are working towards in 2018? I'd love to hear about it!!