Thoughts for a New Year

I don't want to write a "New Year's Resolution" post, but I've spent the last week and a half trying to reset my bearings and start this year off on the right foot. Four things I want to focus on this year:

1) Be a better pup-mom: I am so lucky to have the best dog in the whole world (unbiased opinion), but I know I can do better. I want to spend more time with Tucker this year on walks, at the park, and with training. This means being stricter in some arenas (no, Tucker, you can't roam freely on all the furniture and sleep under the covers every night) but I think it will ultimately make him a happier pup.

Less "Sad Tuck"

More "Happy Tuck"

2) Part of making Tuck happier is spending more time with him at night, which means I've been getting up between 5:15 and 5:30 to get my workouts in before the sun comes up. This way, I have pretty much all night to hang with the pup. Speaking of workouts, I've started going to Hilliard Studio Method - a Pure Barre / Bar Method type workout, but a lotttt harder. Basically, there's no downtime for stretching or resting. At HSM, a standard plank or normal push-ups are considered recovery. Needless to say, I definitely take my fair share of unprescribed breaks, but I really like the women who own the studio and look forward to the workouts.

I also re-joined the YMCA and have been going there a few times a week for classes or just to run. The Cherry Blossom 10-miler is the first weekend of April (whoooo hooo can't wait!) and Emily and I are trying to find a good half to do this spring.

3) Make good food choices: I know that eating well makes me feel good and tons of gluten, grease, and refined sugar makes me feel bad. Nevertheless, I also know that totally eliminating food groups doesn't work for me. Paleo? Tried that, but I love pizza too much (and so does Rob). I just need to get back to eating good, whole foods in normal portions. More of this and less pizza:

Oatmeal with bananas, blueberries, and a little peanut butter

Salad at work with chicken, avocado, and sweet potatoes & organic balsamic

Spinach, sweet potato fries, and homemade buffalo chicken bites 

4) Make time for the things that matter: I want to make sure I'm calling the people I love but don't see enough to catch up on everything. I want to make sure and see Hilary at least twice a month -- we probably won't be living 30 minutes from each other next year and she's my favorite little sis. 

I also want to focus on being present and not stressing out as much about things I have no control over. Rob will be working some crazy hours for the next three months, and then two months later, I'll probably be moving somewhere pretty far away, sending us back into a long-distance relationship. Instead of stressing about what's to come, I want to spend the next 5-6 months enjoying the time we actually get to spend together. I'm pretty sure he's a keeper, so even if we only get ten minutes together in the morning before work, I want to make them count.

And for those times when he's not around, I'll just throw on my favorite pair of his sweats and pretend like he is.