Re-Resolutions

 It's that time again, the beginning of a new year, the time to make those resolutions once again. Myself, I tend to make re-resolutions, same ones over and over, which would be a good thing if I didn't break them before January slips by. Maybe other folks don't do that, make the same resolutions every year, but that seems to be one of my life patterns. I know what's good for me, I know what I'm not doing that I should be doing. I know that the older I get the harder it will be to make changes in my behaviour. Think about it, 70+ years to establish and entrench bad habits - and I'm gonna break them, improve, follow the yellow brick road to achieve good sense?

Ahh, but it's not hopeless. I was a smoker and I quit! Did that (40 some years ago) and that's a tough one. And I've probably lost 100's of pounds in my adult life - but breaking the habits that put those extra pounds on has proven to be more difficult. Watch out you young things with a few extra pounds! When you are an elder it seems like you need about 1/4 of the food you are accustomed to eating. 

When I was young I worked in movie theatres, from age 16 to about 23. Paid my high school tuition, my college fees, got free movies for myself and passes for my friends, a wonderful job with one downside. I acquired the worst eating habits possible. Think what's available to eat at the cinema - popcorn, candy, pop, hot dogs. That was my diet; that formed my habits. Gleep. No excuse though, just a mitigating factor. I have no resolution to lose weight. I know better. But I hope to address what I eat and when, then add water.

I have found an exercise DVD, Scott Cole's "Discover Tai Chi for Balance and Mobility" (available on Amazon). One half hour of movements you'd think are so simple they wouldn't accomplish a thing. But, when your minutes away from 74 years old you'd be amazed at how many simple movements have become not so simple, how tight your body has coiled over the years, and how much these slow exercises can accomplish over time - if you do them! Speaking of doing them, I shall be back in a half hour...

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As often happens, a half an hour became the rest of the day. I want to mention another Scott Cole video. "Tai Chi for Beginners". It's a wee bit more challenging, a graceful, slow series of easily memorized movements that will make your body happy. There's a nice idea, making your body happy. What makes a body happy? Not too hard to figure out - good food as needed, physical movement to keep it supple, sufficient sleep, lack of stress. Hard work, almost idolized by some, can be good too; it can also act like a wrecking ball. I live on a small farm. From reading previous blogs you know we built slowly, when we could, and hard work is no stranger at my door. It's a necessity but over time it can take a toll. There's smart ways to work, and stupid ways. Far too often, because we are in a hurry, because the situation is close to an emergency, because we don't think or simply don't know better, we end up working the stupid way, slowly breaking our bodies down until every movement hurts. If you're young, think about working smart.

My 2017 resolution packet also contains taking time to improve my mandolin playing. There are so many benefits to participation in music - feel good happy times. When I play with a group and it all "comes together" it's an indescribable high and a unique type of connection that only those who make music can understand.

So my 2017 resolutions - be good to my body and my mind. Sounds like a good plan, and a worthy re-resolution.

Happy 2017 to you all!