New Rhythms

 I just… don’t want to set any goals this year. 

2023 was ok for me— we lost Ben’s lovely grandma and our sweet, smelly Beatrix. I had some family drama related to my middle brother; various family members are dealing with illness, lots of workplace upheaval, etc. I think last year showed me (how many times do I need to be shown, though?) that I can’t control everything, no matter how many days I nail my arm workout goals, you know?

I mean, OF COURSE I am still going to exercise for at least 50 minutes 6 days a week, plus do arms and abs. Because that’s a thing I do to make myself happy, regardless of any lists, etc. I want to go to the beach this year and take a kitschy spring break trip with the whole fam (last one???). I want to hit up the Pekin Marigold festival and enjoy the heck out of Harry’s high school graduation weekend. I want to drink more water.

I don’t need to put stuff likely monthly mani/pedis on a list because of course I will go get them. I wil read a bunch of books because— I mean— that’s just what I do.

I wasn’t even going to do the yearly habit challenge that Gretchen Rubin runs every year— but then her IG account shared a picture of Dorothy and me going outside for 23 in 23, and I decided to give write for 24 in 24 a go (but I am not counting this blog toward that goal— I make time for this writing anyway— surely I can magic up 24 extra minutes to work on… something else).

BUT. I can identify some things in my life that are going less smoothly than I would like them to— and those are the things I want to fix. For me 2024 is the year of new rhythms. 

There are some problems in my life that all have to do with routines not working anymore. My menstrual cycle is all over the darn place, like a Judy Blume novel with wrinkles. We spend 1/5 of our waking hours IN THE CAR. No one is ever home to eat the dinners I make, but we can’t just go through the drive through all of the time. Can I live a productive life and also sleep past 5 am? How can we spend quality time with our big kids and still see each other at the end of the day? When Do Cooper and Dorothy need to be included in later night hangs? I need to figure out how to dress my changing body and where to shop in middle age. I think I am ready to stop coloring my hair,  After Harry graduates in June, we are looking at a solid decade of kids in college. THE TIMES ARE A CHANGING, and this is a year for me to figure out how to change with them.

As an upholder, I don’t really need outside accountability, but I am going to use this space to bring up rhythms that are out of sync for me and brainstorm ways to reset them. 

The tricks is to figure out how to do that without making 2024 the year of complaining. Maybe I need to do my own happiness project? Thoughts on how to tackle this task?