2009: it's going to be YOUR year!

What are your goals for 2009? What would you LOVE to do this year? What are some positive changes you're going to make in your life over the next twelve months?

Some things I would love to do this year are:

♥ Train for and run a half marathon
♥ Go on a yoga retreat somewhere amazing (maybe this one in Spain! Ooh eer! Mary, want to join me?)
♥ Completely clean out my wardrobe and get rid of anything that doesn't fit/suit my lifestyle anymore and get a cool, funky, late-20s look happening (late 20s! Gulp!)
♥ Use my juicer more often. I started 2009 off right with a fresh juice of clementines (mandarins), apple, carrot, mango and fresh ginger after my morning run. It wasn't the usual b*tch cleaning job, which is what turns me off using it more often, so I feel far more motivated to get it out more regularly. I love fresh juice and experimenting with different fruits and vegetables.
♥ Join one of the Sweaty Betty running clubs (which will help with Goal #1)
♥ Buy a new pair of runners - my old ones were $30 from Highpoint Harris Scarfe in February 2007 and they are just FERAL now! (which will also help with Goal #1)

But most of all, in 2009 I want to cultivate a positive attitude, especially in my attitude towards myself and my achievements.

The last year saw me give in to the negative self talk in a big way. Whatever I tried to do in terms of fitness was never a good enough effort (in my mind) and as such all my exercise which I'd previously enjoyed became torture.

I have to remind myself of what I have achieved (ie: been at goal for three years this April! Wow!) and that anything I'm not 100% happy with can be changed, with hard work and dedication and a positive attitude. I think the reason that I succeeded with my weight loss in the first place was because I was so upbeat and motivated, and always looked for the silver lining, even when the scales said the same weight four weeks in a row. And I was proud of myself for what I was doing and what I had achieved, even if it was just resisting the chocolate in the fridge or going for a walk after work even if I was tired and didn't feel like doing it.

I miss feeling proud of myself. I have kind of lost sight of how far I've come, and need to refocus.

And one thing I've learned over the last couple of years is that it's never too late for a fresh start. Never. And if you're not happy with something in your life, you have the power to change it, if you really want to.

I don't know what it is about the new year clocking over, but it always brings about a mental shift in me. Turning a page, a fresh start. Everything that weighed me down in the year before, all of a sudden it's gone, and there's only empty pages there, for me to fill with whatever I want.

Here's to 2009 being filled with happiness, strength, positivity and joy.