I had a plan: after I finished my bag of dark chocolate covered almonds and bottle of Prosecco at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve (or, you know, when I woke post-party 9-10 hours later) I was going to shift into achievable-goal beast mode: super productive, uber organized, and completely on the ball. Add in healthy, mindful meals, more walking, and 20 minutes of asana practice daily (including a 30 day plank challenge), and I would be unstoppable.
But then a small “domestic event” brought my good intentions to a screeching halt. Here are 2 lessons I learned at 3am on January 1, 2018: make sure your friends know that you have an electric kettle (that is, a kettle that is NOT meant to be placed on a stove top burner) and always have a fire extinguisher handy.
When the fire chief recommends you open all your windows and don’t sleep in your house you listen: he knows what he’s at. Normally I would be thrilled at spending a night in a new hotel with my fella and my cat (thanks for being so accommodating, Alt Hotel St. John’s!) but this was NOT part of my plan. I wanted to wake up in my own bed on January 1: I wanted to make a delicious breakfast, go for a walk, lounge on the couch in cozy clothes, get on my yoga mat, meditate, and get organized for this amazing new year.
Instead, I didn’t sleep, I fretted; we returned to our house which was 9 degrees celcius (remember, windows are open), ordered Domino’s pizza, cleaned up for 6 hours with the help of friends, and finally went to bed after being up for 36 hours. Gross. I was back on the mat at my studio teaching the next day but I also had to spend time replacing things we had to toss out in the cleanup, instead of spending time organizing and being on top of things I wanted to be on top of.
My plans went out the open window, but only temporarily. I was mad, I was disappointed, I was defeated, but only for a moment. I decided to give myself a new year’s do-over.
Who says January 1 is the start of all things healthy and good? Who was putting all this pressure on me? My over-achieving, sometimes type A, perfectionist self. I realized that the only person who could give me permission to ease in and start fresh on January 8 was me.
I traded in my Plank challenge for a Restorative practice and spent the week wrapped up and supported by bolsters and blankets. I ate well but indulged when I needed a treat. I attached my monthly calendar to the wall with the promise of filling it and organizing next week. And once I took the pressure off I felt so much better about myself, my current situation, and the year ahead.
I love a fresh start. I love a new routine. I love a good intention. And there’s something so great about beginning on a Monday, or at the start of a new month, or on January 1. But sometimes life doesn’t allow for plans to roll out as perfectly as you or I would like. So from now on I’m giving myself permission to begin again . . . and again . . . and again. And I hope you do too.
-melanie-
xo