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RESET: 24 for 2024 + Write24in24

Posted in Positive Living, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 8, 2024| 5 Comments »

The Lunar New Year is fast approaching, dear reader, and I am thrilled to finally start my new year. Stepping into 2024 without a plan felt odd, but I adjusted my mindset as the month of January unfolded, and I am NOW ready to get the ball rolling on accomplishing my aims for this year.

RESET is my word for 2024. After the dreadful demise of 2023, I have been desperate to hit the reset button. My plans for this year are to replace some bad habits with some good ones, clean up the clutter in my environment, and boost my sense of creativity and play by cultivating an existing interest. That last plan, regarding creativity and play, is the result of taking Gretchen Rubin’s Habits for Happiness Quiz.

In addition to my one-word theme, I created a 24 for 2024 list with my aims for the new year. Almost all of the items on my list are new; however, I did carry over three items from last year that I did not complete but really want to accomplish this year. Pretty much all of my aims fall into one of my three plans which have to do with habits, clutter-clearing, and creativity/play. Take a look at what I have planned for myself for 2024.

Kat’s 24 for 2024 List

  • 1. Time-track at least once per quarter (March, June, September, December).
  • 2. Join The 5AM Club by getting up at 5AM each morning (The 5AM Club).
  • 3. Implement the 20/20/20 Formula (The 5AM Club).
  • 4. Implement the Pre-Sleep Ritual (The 5AM Club).
  • 5. Quit Coffee.
  • 6. Strength train two times per week.
  • 7. Walk at least 30 minutes daily, preferably outside.
  • 8. Get a massage.
  • 9. Clear the clutter in my scrapbook room.
  • 10. Buy a book cart.
  • 11. Buy two bookcases for living room.
  • 12. Organize home library.
  • 13. Keep track of spending on books.
  • 14. Get library cards (Tangipahoa, Livingston, and Baton Rouge parishes).
  • 15. Start a new booktube project.
  • 16. Read 24 Books that I did not get to in 2022/2023.
  • 17. Have a Year of Christie (Agatha Christie) 2.0.
  • 18. Buddy Read Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt with Alex @ Frankfiction.
  • 19. Read The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and The Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman.
  • 20. Read The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.
  • 21. Read On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King.
  • 22. Write about my adventures in Sicily on my blog.
  • 23. Organize photos and video clips from my Sicily trip.
  • 24. Scrapbook 24 times in 2024.

Other Fun Plans for 2024:

  • I am participating in Gretchen Rubin’s #Write24in24. The options are to spend 2-4 minutes or 24 minutes writing daily in 2024. This challenge is the third element of Rubin’s Happier Trifeca with the one-word theme and list of aims being the other two elements. According to Gretchen Rubin, “If you write consistently, you’ll be astonished by how much you can accomplish in 2024. We often underestimate what we can do if we work consistently.” Writing at least 24 minutes every day will be a fun daily challenge for me because I LOVE writing. My writing time will be devoted to blog posts, book reviews on Goodreads, scrapbook journaling, lists (to-do & ta-da), correspondence with family and friends (cards), notes for videos, and morning pages (The Artist’s Way). These are just a few of the writing activities I have planned for 2024; however, other possibilities might be added to my list throughout the year.
  • On Goodreads, I joined the 2024 Reading Challenge, and my goal is to read 100 books this year. Follow me on Goodreads (Katherine Loyacano).
  • I want to revamp the Chills, Thrills, and Kills Book Club.
  • I will participate in Booktube Book Clubs (FOMO, MGM, Cozy Cottage).
  • I will continue doing Collabs with Kelsi. Our collabs can be viewed on her YouTube channel, Slime and Slashers – A Nostalgia & Horror Channel. Please consider subscribing to Kelsi’s channel in 2024.
  • I will participate in Frugal February again. This is a NO spend month.
  • I will be doing a Birthday Message Project 2.0 in 2024.
  • I plan to keep a TA-DA list for 2024. This list is for goals or activities that I accomplished throughout the year but were not included on my original list. These accomplishments should be celebrated, too.

Additionally, I will continue creating videos for my Youtube channel, Kat’s Novel Adventures. I passed my one-year anniversary of releasing my first video on 28 October 2023. As of the writing of this post, I have 769 subscribers and 152 videos for public viewing. My little channel is growing slowly, and I am hoping I will reach and surpass 1,000 subscribers in 2024. That channel milestone would be a HUGE happiness boost! I have included a video about my Happier Trifecta below if you are interested in hearing more about my plans for 2024. Please consider subscribing to my channel, giving me a like, and leaving a comment.

As you can see, dear reader, I have planned a year of good habit-forming, organizing, reading, writing, and scrapbooking adventures for 2024. All of these aims and activities will give me an opportunity to RESET my life and get back on track. Well, that is my plan anyway. Happiness!

“Every sunset is an opportunity to reset. Every sunrise begins with new eyes.”     ~ Richie Norton

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January: Laying My Foundation for 2024

Posted in Positive Living, tagged , , , , , , on January 31, 2024| 2 Comments »

A weird feeling came over me upon January’s arrival as I gazed at the fireworks outside the window of my mom’s room at Ochsner Hospital. I felt out of place in both space and time, like I should be somewhere else. I felt uneasy, unprepared, and unhappy which is the total opposite of how I usually feel entering a new year. The lack of excitement for 2024 without its clean slate and plethora of possibilities waiting in the wings to take flight were marred by an unfortunate event and the recent death of my best friend. Never in the history of my life have I entered a new year in a state of disarray, discomfort, and despair.

There is nothing wrong with grieving after a loss or feeling a sense of hopelessness after an accident. However, getting bogged down by negativity can be tempting if the grief or hopelessness remains constant. Thankfully, a negative outlook on life is not my nature. I understood that I was in a season of sorrow at the end of 2023, but oh, how I wanted to enter 2024 in a season of celebration. Life is full of surprises, some are pleasant while others not so much. When those unpleasant surprises arise, I generally take a step back, feel all the feelings, then take a deep breath, and put the unpleasantness in perspective.

Therefore, that’s exactly what I did at the beginning of January. In the past, I announced my plans for the new year along with my one-word theme on January 1st or 2nd. At the start of 2024, my plans had not even been put on paper, and I was struggling with my word for the year. Even though I accepted that I was behind in this area of my life and had plenty to catch up on, I still fretted a little over the delay. I wanted my clean slate. I wanted to begin anew.

Finally about mid-month, I settled on my word for the year, and I started writing out my 24 for 2024 List. I recently filmed a couple of videos to close out 2023 on my channel and participated in a number of readathons, including one of my own, while also preparing for another one happening in February.

I realized this week that I have actually been laying the foundation for my year ahead throughout the entire month of January. On January 4th, I started reading, The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and The Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman. The meditations for the month of January are focused on clarity. Then, yesterday evening, I saw a comment on the Happier in Hollywood FaceBook Group where a woman and her family, who encountered some unexpected surprises, are starting their year on February 10th, the Lunar New Year. I thought, “What a terrific idea!“

So, dear reader, I have decided for 2024, I am starting my new year on February 10th. I will be announcing my “Happiness Trifeca” in the coming days which includes my one-word theme, my 24 for 2024 List, and the 24 in 2024 Challenge that Gretchen Rubin has chosen for this year. I look forward to sharing my aims for the year with you. Have you set resolutions or made plans for 2024? If so, did you start on the first day of January or did you pick another day to start your new year? Happiness!

“No matter how hard the past is, you can always begin again.” ~ Buddha

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My 23 for 2023 List

Posted in Positive Living, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 2, 2023| 12 Comments »

Happy New Year, dear reader! Welcome to the beginning of 2023 and a blank slate ready for all sorts of adventures to develop and to be recorded throughout this upcoming year. I chose a one-word theme this year that will bring (something) into existence, cause (something) to happen as a result of one’s actions, (of an actor) originate a role by playig a character for the first time, and invest (someone) with a new rank or title. Keep reading for the one-word theme reveal.

I am also super excited about everything I have included on my 23 for 2023 List. Most of the items on my list are new; however, I did carry over eight items from last year that I did not complete but still feel like they are important enough to accomplish this year. Take a look at what I have planned for myself for 2023.

Kat’s 23 for 2023 List

  • 1. Schedule dental appointment (implant crown).
  • 2. Buy myself flowers quarterly.
  • 3. Buy a new vacuum cleaner.
  • 4. Buy two white bookcases for office.
  • 5. Buy a book cart.
  • 6. Deal with digital clutter (email, photos, documents).
  • 7. Organize home office.
  • 8. Organize home library.
  • 9. Write my personal manifesto.
  • 10. Write a will.
  • 11. Scrapbook monthly.
  • 12. Complete Year of Gratitude scrapbook.
  • 13. Learn StreamYard to host sprints on my YouTube channel.
  • 14. Host two Readathons on my YouTube channel (February/May).
  • 15. Read 23 Books that I did not get to in 2022.
  • 16. Have a Year of Christie (Agatha Christie).
  • 17. Read The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.
  • 18. Read The Galveston Diet by Mary Claire Haver, M.D.
  • 19. Revisit Outer Order, Inner Calm by Gretchen Rubin.
  • 20. Read Tranquility by Tuesday by Laura Vanderkam.
  • 21. Complete Becky Higgins Classroom: Photo Tips + Work Flow.
  • 22. Complete the WordPress Blogging course.
  • 23. Update theme (layout) for blog.

Other Fun Plans for 2023:

  • I am participating in Gretchen Rubin’s #Outside23in23. Basically, you spend a total of 23 minutes outside every day in 2023. According to Gretchen Rubin, “Going outside boosts our physical and psychological health, gives us more time in nature, and helps us mindfully appreciate the moment and our senses.” Going outside every day will be an easy daily challenge for me because I LOVE so many characteristics about being outdoors. Some of the activities I plan on doing outside are ones I pretty much do every day already, such as walking for exercise, walking my dogs, reading, exploring nature, taking photographs, having outdoor adventures (at a park/zoo, in a city, or my own backyard). These are just a few of the activities I can do with so many other possibilities to add to my list.
  • On Goodreads, I joined the 2023 Reading Challenge, and my goal is to read 75 books this year. Follow me on Goodreads (Katherine Loyacano).
  • I will continue participating in the Chills, Thrills, and Kills Book Club.
  • I will participate in the FOMO Book Club on booktube.
  • I will be doing a Birthday Message Project in 2023. This will replace my Instagram projects I have done the last two years. Even though I will not be doing a specific project on Instagram, I will still be active on there. Follow me on Instagram (katherineloyacano).
  • I plan to keep a TA-DA list for 2023. This list is for goals or activities that I accomplished throughout the year but were not included on my original list. These accomplishments should be celebrated, too.

Last but certainly not least, I will continue creating videos for my Youtube channel, Kat’s Novel Adventures. I released my first video for 2023, and it is all about my one-word theme and my 23 for 2023 list. Please consider subscribing to my channel in 2023, giving me a like, and leaving a comment.

There you have it, dear reader, lots of enjoyable plans for the new year. What do you have planned in 2023? Have you made some resolutions or a 23 for 2023 list? If you could choose a one-word theme for this year, what word would you choose? Mine is CREATE, and I cannot wait to start creating more happiness and joy in my life. I would love to know what your plans are for this year. You can comment on this post or email me at katloyacano@gmail.com. Happiness!

“In order to be successful in the new year, stay focused, develop a positive attitude, and be passionate with your dreams.” ~ Bamigboye Olurotimi

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Change: 22 for 2022

Posted in Positive Living, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 2, 2022| 10 Comments »

Happy New Year, dear reader! Welcome to the beginning of a new year with endless opportunities waiting for us to experience, explore, and embrace. I am excited about 2022 for many reasons which will emerge as this year unfolds.

CHANGE is my word for 2022. I have been craving change for my life for quite some time, and Hurricane Ida has inspired me to engage change. Today, I am enthusiastically embarking on a journey to change several areas of my life.

In addition, I created a 22 for 2022 list with my aims for the new year. Most of the items on my list are new; however, I did carry over six items from last year that I did not complete but feel they will encourage me to make changes this year. Take a look at what I have planned for myself for 2022.

Kat’s 22 for 2022 List

1. Time-track in January.

2. Tweak morning routine.

3. Make consultation appointment with oral surgeon (implant).

4. Learn a 30-60 second monologue.

5. Buy a new vacuum cleaner.

6. Get wedding rings resized.

7. Clean out and organize master closet.

8. Plant new garden in front of the house.

9. Purge paper and organize file cabinet.

10. Go paperless (bills and statements).

11. Scrapbook monthly.

12. Complete Year of Gratitude scrapbook.

13. Have a Year of King (Stephen King).

14. Update theme (layout) for blog.

15. Research video editing software.

16. Complete a puzzle.

17. Write a will.

18. Revisit A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle.

19. Read The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.

20. Complete the WordPress Blogging course.

21. Take a WordPress Podcasting course.

22. Take Becky Higgins Classroom: Photo Tips + Work Flow.

Other Plans for 2022:

  1. I am participating in Gretchen Rubin’s #Rest22in22. Basically, you rest for 22 minutes every day in 2022. According to Gretchen Rubin, “Research shows that rest is an essential element of working well and working smart. Working for long stretches without breaks leads to stress and exhaustion. Taking time to rest can refresh the mind, boost productivity and focus, and replenish mental energy.” Rest will look different to me from day to day depending on my schedule for the day; however, rest could be taking a nap, meditating, reading, drinking a cup of coffee while sitting on my front porch, or talking with a friend.
  2. On Goodreads, I joined the 2022 Reading Challenge, and my goal is to read 50 books again this year. Follow me on Goodreads (Katherine Loyacano).
  3. I will continue reading daily (#Read21for21) for at least 21 minutes per day, so no day goes by without having read something for pure enjoyment. Instead of reading nonfiction books during this allotted time, I have chosen to read children’s literature. This will allow me to track the number of books I read during that time frame and read the piles of unread books I currently own in that category.
  4. I will continue participating in the Chills, Thrills, and Kills Book Club.
  5. I will continue doing Collabs with Kelsi. Our collabs can be viewed on her YouTube channel, Slime and Slashers – A Nostalgia & Horror Channel. Consider subscribing to Kelsi’s channel in 2022.
  6. I will continue my walking streak and walk daily for at least 20 minutes (#Walk20in20).
  7. I will participate in Frugal February again. This is a NO spend month.
  8. I plan to keep a TA-DA list for 2022. This list is for goals or activities that I accomplished throughout the year but were not included on my original list. These accomplishments should be celebrated, too. 
  9. In 2021, I did an Instagram project called #yearofgratitude2021 which I plan to scrapbook. I posted a picture every day of someone or something I am grateful for in my life. This year, my Instagram will focus on JOY and is called #yearofjoy2022. Follow me on Instagram (katherineloyacano).

As you can see, dear reader, I have quite a bit planned for this year. What do you have planned in 2022? Have you made some resolutions or a 22 for 2022 list? If you could choose a one-word theme for this year, what word would you choose? I would love to know what your plans are for this year. You can comment on this post or email me at katloyacano@gmail.com. Happiness!

“If you are going to reach your goals and create the life you desire, you will have to make new choices that will lead you to new actions.” ~ Debbie Ford

Note: I do not own the image in this post, nor do I claim to own this image. 

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FOCUS: 21 for 2021

Posted in Happiness Project 2021, Positive Living, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 3, 2021| 4 Comments »

Happy New Year! It feels wonderful welcoming in a new year after living through a year of disappointment, turmoil, and unpredictability. While there were aspects of 2020 that I am grateful for, I am happy with moving on from that chapter of my life and currently focusing on the next chapter with the anticipation of new opportunities to learn, grow, and increase my joy factor.

FOCUS is my word for 2021. I’m choosing to focus on my health, my home, my happiness as it relates to my career (focusing on creating a new career I have wanted for many years), and my hobbies. My 21 for 2021 list will FOCUS on these four areas.

Kat’s 21 for 2021 List

  1. Manage time.
  2. Maintain a regular fitness regimen.
  3. Create weekly meal plans.
  4. Eat more vegetables.
  5. Try intermittent fasting for one month (Clean & Lean).
  6. Declutter and organize each room in my house.
  7. Write a will.
  8. Try one NO spend month.
  9. Revisit A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle.
  10. Complete The Four Tendencies course (Gretchen Rubin).
  11. Read Atomic Habits by James Clear.
  12. Read The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.
  13. Create a vision board.
  14. Take a WordPress Blogging course.
  15. Take a WordPress Podcasting course.
  16. Purchase podcasting equipment.
  17. Complete Write a Bestseller course (Jeff Goins).
  18. Try 12 new restaurants (one per month).
  19. Take Becky Higgins Classroom: Photo Tips + Work Flow.
  20. Scrapbook at least two times per month.
  21. Learn how to use my Cricut Maker.

During the month of January, I will focus on managing my time. I want to establish a better daily routine, create schedules for decluttering, housekeeping, working on my courses, and self care, as well as continuing to participate in improv and RCIA. Essentially, I want to use my weekly 168 hours more effectively. I also want to try to break down the remaining 20 items on my list into the four quarters of the year to make accomplishing them more manageable. Naturally, several of my items are designed to run throughout the entire course of the year which is also totally fine. I’m excited about all the possibilities this new year has to offer and look forward to the journey through 2021.

Other Plans for 2021:

  1. On Goodreads, I joined the 2021 Reading Challenge, and my goal is to read 50 books again this year. 
  2. I am participating in Gretchen Rubin’s #Read21for21 challenge. Basically, you read for 21 minutes every day in 2021. While I do read a great deal, I don’t necessarily read for pleasure every day. I’ve also decided to read specific books during my daily 21 minutes to see how many books I read throughout the year just in that daily timeframe. According to Gretchen Rubin, “If you read for 21 minutes per day for 365 days, that’s 7,665 minutes, or almost 128 hours of reading. You can read a lot of books in 128 hours!” 
  3. This year, I also plan to keep a TA-DA list for 2021. Many times I accomplish goals that are not included on my list, and I should be celebrating those accomplishments, too. 
  4. Hopefully, I will be attending my annual scrapbooking convention with my gal pals in June. We didn’t get to attend last year because of the pandemic, so I REALLY hope and pray we can get together this summer. 

What do you have planned in 2021, dear reader? Have you made some resolutions or a 21 for 2021 list? If you could choose a one-word theme for this year, what word would you choose? Let me know what your plans are for 2021. Happiness!

“Focus is the key to accomplish what is necessary – easy word to spell, it contains only five letters but it is probably one of the most powerful words there are in order to move forward with confidence and with the expected results.” ~ Bryan Pulsifer

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Commit: 19 for 2019

Posted in Happiness Project 2019, Positive Living, tagged , , , , on January 3, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Happy New Year, dear readers! 2019 is a brand new year, and I hope you are off to a terrific start. My year was running smoothly until this morning when I drove over a curb at Southeastern University and damaged two of my tires. Thankfully, I was not too far from the Hyundai dealership where the service technician replaced both tires with new ones and got me back on track. It was an expensive lesson learned about being fully present and paying better attention.

And, that experience segues nicely to the word that I have chosen for my theme this year. COMMIT. In 2019, I want to commit to improving my health, wealth, home, and overall well-being (like being more present). Since I successfully completed the majority of the items on my 18 for 2018 list, I decided to make a 19 for 2019 list. Is it more ambitious than last year’s list? Yes, indeed! Will it increase my happiness? Definitely!

commit

Kat’s 19 for 2019 list:

1. Get a massage.
2. Get eyebrows waxed.
3. Get a colonoscopy.
4. Lose 19 pounds.
5. Go to the gym at least once per week.
6. Run a 5K.
7. Donate blood.
8. Read one book a month for self-improvement.
9. Purge stuff in my house one room/closet at a time.
10. Organize my master bedroom closet.
11. Clear out the front bedroom and make it my scrapbook room.
12. Complete Andrew’s Ireland scrapbook.
13. Organize photographs/mementos.
14. Buy a new bed for master bedroom.
15. Pay off one credit card.
16. Take a voice-over class.
17. Visit Aunt Carolyn in Utah.
18. Participate in NaNoWriMo in November.
19. Create my “List of 100 Dreams.”

 

Other Plans for 2019:

  1. On Goodreads I joined the 2019 Reading Challenge, and my goal is to read 50 books again this year. I barely met my goal of 50 books in 2018, so increasing my goal did not seem like a good idea.
  2. Andrew and I will be attending Comic Con in New Orleans this weekend. I’ll be checking out The Walking Dead actors.
  3. Andrew and I will be attending Fleetwood Mac’s farewell tour in February. I’m super excited that they included New Orleans on their tour schedule.
  4. I will be attending my annual scrapbooking convention with my gal pals June 20th-June 23rd.

What do you have planned in 2019, dear reader? Have you made some resolutions or a 19 for 2019 list? If you could choose a one-word theme for this year, what word would you choose? Let me know what your plans are for 2019. Happiness!

“Your days are numbered. Use them to throw open the windows of your soul to the sun. If you do not, the sun will soon set, and you with it.” ~ Marcus Aurelius, The Emperor’s Handbook

 

 

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Happy New Year

Posted in Happiness Project, Holidays, tagged , , , , on January 1, 2017| 2 Comments »

Happy 2017, dear readers! I am back for a new year. It has been quite some time since my last blog post. I am planning to strive to do better this year with my writing, as well as in other areas of my life. RENEWAL. That is the one-word theme I have chosen for this year. I have also decided to attempt another happiness project. Years ago after reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin, I participated in my own happiness project and had a fabulous year. I am looking forward to a new year with new possibilities and opportunities. New Year’s Blessings to you, dear readers. Happiness!

“Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering, ‘It will be happier.'” ~ Alfred Lord Tennyson

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Happy New Year!

Posted in Holidays, tagged on January 1, 2016| 2 Comments »

Happy New Year, my dearest readers! I wish all of you a year of blessings, happiness, and pure joy. I plan to begin a new journey this year, one of innovation which I will share with you shortly. In the meantime, enjoy the first day of your blank slate doing whatever feeds your soul, whether it is reading a book, lounging around in your pajamas, or visiting family and friends for a traditional New Year’s meal of black-eyed peas, cabbage, cornbread, and fried turkey. Happiness!

“Hope
Smiles from the threshold of the year to come,
Whispering ‘it will be happier’…” ~ Alfred Lord Tennyson

 

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An Unexpected Gift

Posted in Family, Health and Fitness, Life, Positive Living, tagged , , , , , , , on December 31, 2012| 2 Comments »

A few weeks ago, I received an unexpected gift in the mail. It was a postcard from a local health club offering two free memberships for one month. The offer seemed too good to be true. Curiously, I called the health club to see just what the “catch” was for this unbelievable offer. Surprisingly, there were NO strings attached, NO credit card numbers given, and NO contracts signed. My hubby, Andrew, and I were all given a one month pass for full access to the club. And, they included a pass for Barry, Jr. since he would be home on leave. What an awesome gift! We had been interested in joining this club ever since it opened a few years ago, so this was the perfect way to try it out.

Shortly after we received our passes, we received another unexpected gift in the mail from the health club. This time we received a credit card waiving the enrollment fee, as well as giving us the entire month of January free if we decided we would like to become full-time members of their club. Unlike our first gift, this one had strings attached; however, they weren’t unreasonable. We just had to decide if we wanted to become full-time members by the end of the year. Thankfully, we had a couple of weeks to make that decision.

Since then, Andrew and I have been using the free membership with much enthusiasm. He has been taking a Kid Fit class which is offered four days a week. He absolutely loves the class activities, as well as going to Kid’s Club afterwards. He is making new friends and getting fit at the same time. And, he has even had the opportunity to swim in the heated pool. I have taken a couple of Body Pump classes, run on the treadmill several times (either raining or too cold to run outside), and met with a personal trainer to talk about my fitness goals, learn some core exercises, and learn how to use some of the cardio machines besides the treadmill. I get two more sessions to learn about the weight machines and reevaluate my progress after six weeks. Andrew and I love it! So, we signed up on Sunday to become members for one year. Unfortunately, my hubby did not sign up with us. He hasn’t used his free pass since he received it. He tells me he will attempt to visit the club before his pass expires. The good news is he can join if he decides he loves it as much as Andrew and I do.

What a wonderful way for my family and I to end 2012 and begin the new year! And, what a terrific way for me to continue improving the health and fitness area of my life. However, I must confess I’ve allowed myself to be overly indulgent this Christmas season, somewhat lax on my exercise schedule, and have eaten more sugar than veggies lately. I’m WEAK when it comes to all the goodies you receive during the Christmas holidays! The silver lining….all the bad stuff will be out of my house and out of the church office by the end of this week. The dust will settle, rather the needle on the scale will swivel uncontrollably for a moment adjusting to my slight weight gain, and I WILL vow to redeem myself and get back on track. However, for the time being I cannot and will not get on that damn scale.

This has been a terrific year for me and my family. My hubby and I both got new jobs, we are all in good health, and we receive so much love and joy from our family and friends. We have been blessed in many, many ways. And while we did have to say good-bye to Ming, we are grateful and celebrate the nineteen years she was a part of our family. We continue to cherish those who are so special to us and look forward to a new year of possibilities. And, let me not forget my dear readers. YOU ARE AWESOME! Thank you for your support and encouragement. Wishing you much love, joy, and happiness! ~ Kat

“And now we welcome the new year, full of things that have never been.” ~Rainer Maria Rilke

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Out with the Old & In with the New

Posted in Life, tagged , , , on December 29, 2011| Leave a Comment »

    The new year is fast approaching.  I’m getting excited because I like new beginnings.  However, before I embark on my litany of new year’s resolutions, I want to take a moment to revisit what worked and didn’t work for me in 2011.

    I started January 2011 off with taking an acting class with the actor Lance Nichols, who has a recurring role as Dr. Larry Williams on the HBO television series Treme.  February showed some promise in my pursuit of a new career as a freelancer. I booked my first background acting gig on Treme, worked as an office production assisistant on a Web Reality series, and signed up with a temp agency. I started working a temp job at WYES in March, which I absolutely loved. I love my WYES family! In addition to the WYES job,  April was also my debut as a zombie, another acting class with Lance, and camping with the Cub Scouts at Fountainebleu State Park. May was somber with the death of our guinea pig, Cinnamon, and the end of my temp job at WYES. However, June brought about a callback from an audition I had for Edible Arrangements, directing shifts at WYES for Art Auction, and no surgery on my liver. July was pretty relaxing. Spent a lot of time at home with Andrew, as well as doing things with family and friends. We even fostered a stray dog for two weeks. August was the start of a new school year and my happiness project.  I did NOT have to go back into the classroom. And, I started running again. I subbed at HGS a lot in September and started working another temp job at WYES. October was super busy with subbing at HGS during the day and directing the Showboat Auction at night. I also ran a 5K. November brought Thanksgiving, my evening with Stephen King, and my first speaking role in a short film called Hotcakes. Alas, December….subbed most of the month, celebrated a quiet Christmas with family, and son #1 came home for the holidays. Overall, a busy year, and these were just some of the highlights. I looked into possibilities, took opportunities, and made a few assessments. I NOW know what I don’t want to do;  however, I am still trying to figure out what I want to do, which brings me to a new year.

    2012 is my year to shed. Without sounding melodramatic, I believe if I can shed some things from my life, I will be able to focus on what I want to do with the rest of the time I have left on this earth. Below is my list of what I want to shed or get rid of in my life this year:

  • bad habits
  • weight
  • responsibilities
  • stuff
  • debt
  • fear

    I figure I should tackle the issues that are holding me back, so I can really maximize my life. Some of the things on my list I will shed naturally, while others will take work. Although I am grateful for my experiences in 2011, I’m excited about the prospects of 2012. Happy New Year!

Check out Gretchen Rubin’s blog about resolutions. http://www.happiness-project.com/

“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson 

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