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What Good/Bad habits Will You Start/End for NewYears?

P

PrinceOfFreaks

Well-Known Member
Bit of a generic topic, I know, but I'm all about self improvement

For the new year:
What bad habits are you quitting?
What self cultivating habits are you beginning?

I personally will be quitting a very stupid, wasteful personal vice - nitrous oxide. I quit nicotine 2 years ago, and replaced it with something even stupider. It adds nothing to my life, and is incredibly wasteful.

And i will be getting back into books. They were one of the best parts of my childhood. I hate that i am one of the many who have let a smartphone replace books.
 
I can't say that the "New year" ever brings any meaningful change. It's just another arbitrary day on an even more arbitrary calendar. But I am all for self improvement and support anyone working on improving their life. Within reason. Some take it too far.

What I'll continue to do is keep taking small steps that build progressively to something bigger. A couple years ago I was obese and in poor health. I decided to change that but I didn't do it overnight or try to. There were no fad diets, or exercise routines just lots of small choices to eat a little healthier each day, be a little more active. Now I'm at a healthy weight, no blood pressure or blood sugar issues, and I lead an active lifestyle. I don't exercise to loose weight. I exercise because it will help me ski better, kayak better, hike more interesting and challenging trails.

There are lots of folks claiming to sell that perfect routine or diet, but the truth is the folks the look healthy and fit didn't get that way overnight, and they don't stay that way because of a fad. They got that way and stay that way through consistency.

But if you are the type that likes to make the new years resolutions, well I hope for your sake you keep them. And if you don't, have some self compassion, a stumble isn't a failure it is a learning opportunity.
 
I make the same New Year's resolution every year - to stop wasting food. I get better at it every year but we're still throwing away bits and dabs of stuff that have been parked in the 'fridge and not eaten.
 
Mary Terry said:
I make the same New Year's resolution every year - to stop wasting food. I get better at it every year but we're still throwing away bits and dabs of stuff that have been parked in the 'fridge and not eaten.
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You need a pig. When I lived on a farm, that's where all the food scraps went.

The New Year is not a big deal for me at this time. It was incredibly joyous and something I looked forward to every year when I lived up north. There were Dawn Dances and we danced literally from 7 pm New Years Eve to 7 am New Years Day.

I have the same questions I work on more or less through out the year. Here are a few

Am I kind and loving to those I may come in contact with?

Do I eschew consumer culture and avoid spending money when it is not needed?

Do I educate myself on what is good health and how to implement interventions that will promote good health in myself and others?

Do I educate myself on caring for the Earth and all its inhabitants and act on those principles when I can?

I am in no way proficient at any of these. They are questions to ask myself every day. More or less. I am far from perfect.
 
WhitewaterWoman said:
You need a pig. When I lived on a farm, that's where all the food scraps went.

The New Year is not a big deal for me at this time. It was incredibly joyous and something I looked forward to every year when I lived up north. There were Dawn Dances and we danced literally from 7 pm New Years Eve to 7 am New Years Day.
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Oh, no, not a pig! We had some hogs when I was growing up - huge, aggressive hogs that I was afraid of. I compost all vegetable and fruit scraps, try to get the cats to eat leftover meat (they decline every time) but my sister says I can feed the meat to her chickens and turkeys. I haven't tried that yet. I freeze a lot of leftovers, too. But there is still some waste, shame on me.

New Year's Eve means nothing to me, either. I make the traditional black-eyed peas, cornbread and turnip/collard/mustard greens dinner and usually am sound asleep by 10:00 pm. My party-girl days are long over.
 
I want to be nicer to people, softer, kinder, more generous.

I want to prioritize special days and activities with my daughter and family.

I want to be more creative and decorate the house more.

I want to get closer to Jesus and to do his will.

Other than God, I want to put my daughter first in all things. With my mother a close second.
 
PrinceOfFreaks said:
What bad habits are you quitting?
What self cultivating habits are you beginning?
Click to expand...
I recently gave up my smartwatch and went back to a regular timepiece. Next thing is to cut screen time by about 25% on my phone. Other big endeavour is fixing my poor posture. I slouch. I bought a posture buzzer that rides between my shoulder blades. It vibrates when I slouch forward and reminds me to stand up straight.

Not a new year's thing, just have a list I'm working through.
 
I'm going to make every effort and spare no expense to find my daughter a medicine that controls or even prevents her seizures. She deserves finally being able to start her life like she's planned for.

If I get to work on any personal wants in-between, it will be trimming more fat and packing on more muscle. Staying fit is key to staying active and for me, it is key to staying in better mindsets and just feeling better about myself. It's not a vanity thing. Exercise and such literally helps me feel better.
 
Mary Terry said:
I make the same New Year's resolution every year - to stop wasting food. I get better at it every year but we're still throwing away bits and dabs of stuff that have been parked in the 'fridge and not eaten.
Click to expand...
This is a very good goal---I am always aware how much food I waste--especially living by myself it is almost impossible not to waste things: I can't eat a big loaf of bread within the time it takes to get stale, takes a week to finish leftovers. Not sustainable eating.
 
Mary Terry said:
Oh, no, not a pig! We had some hogs when I was growing up - huge, aggressive hogs that I was afraid of. I compost all vegetable and fruit scraps, try to get the cats to eat leftover meat (they decline every time) but my sister says I can feed the meat to her chickens and turkeys. I haven't tried that yet. I freeze a lot of leftovers, too. But there is still some waste, shame on me.

New Year's Eve means nothing to me, either. I make the traditional black-eyed peas, cornbread and turnip/collard/mustard greens dinner and usually am sound asleep by 10:00 pm. My party-girl days are long over.
Click to expand...
Feeder pigs are cute baby pigs and you slaughter them before they are huge, like the adults can get. Not trying to change your mind. Just information.
 
PrinceOfFreaks said:
And i will be getting back into books. They were one of the best parts of my childhood. I hate that i am one of the many who have let a smartphone replace books.
Click to expand...

This is a good one. I don't do a lot of social media, but I do find myself mindless looking at my phone and scrolling through news feed. Just as a distraction or break from what I am doing. Or when I am bored.

I think the best change I could make is reducing stress. Managing stress has been a challenge my whole adult life and being on the spectrum turns up the stress dial. My career path has been very stressful which has not helped. It is difficult to find space to heal from many past traumas and move forward when the stress is relentless.
 
Nothing special about New Year's for me either.
I watch the Count Down from Time's Square and see entertainers I know nothing about.
Dick Clark and the singers from my time are gone.

I just keep on keepin' on.

OIP6.webp


"I watched the Ball drop...can I go to bed now?"
 
I would like to stop ruminating, as it acts as a wellspring for my RSD. New Year’s? It doesn’t matter when, I’d just like to make some progress.
 
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