Momma Told Me: It's balanced, not biased.
The new year is officially upon us. The clock struck midnight, again, and again, around the world, and we are all still here. That means another year of challenges, triumphs, laughs, tears, and goals.Why do so many people feel the need to start the year off with a list of changes that could have been implemented on any other day during the previous year? It's simple, we, as humans, need motivation. We need that little carrot at the end of the stick to get us running; and if the carrot isn't there we need a milestone to mark the perpetual procrastination deadline. Much like diets beginning on Monday, New Years Day is the unofficial jump start for reinventing and self improvement. But, contrary to popular belief, the secret to a happy life isn't Barbie's 36-18-33 measurements, a bank account large enough to support it's own bank, or 'Sexiest Alive' spouse. The secret to happiness, you see, is a
balanced lifestyle.
I've taken the time to put together your virtual 2014 Back On Track Road Map to a balanced lifestyle and a happier you. You already posses the most crucial implement to this top secret action plan; YOU, so let's take a brief road trip through your happiness guide, and I'll show you just how easy it can be. Consider me your Back On Track conscience and I am here to whisper in your ear along the way to a happier you.
To begin, we'll start by taking the stairs; we'll take them, well, everywhere, really. We'll take them in parking garages, at high rise offices, through the local park, on vacation at the hotel. We'll use the stairs everywhere we go because walking is the most readily available form of cardio we have, and it's incredibly free. And where there are no stairs, we will walk. Not only will we save gas by walking within distance, but we will ignite our natural fuel system and burn calories around the way. But it's not about the calories burned, it's about the byproduct of the fuel burning, the natural energy, the instant lift, the extra little pep we will soon begin to notice. We will walk right into our local grocery store and fill a cart with delightfully satisfying finds from beloved brands such as Nestle Lean Cuisine and new Sugar Free Coffee Mate.
When we get home we will wrap up all of the loose strings of yesteryear. We will tear down the tree, carefully pack away the baubles and ornaments, wash the table-cover from Thanksgiving, send out those Thank You notes and keep ourselves properly fueled with a little snack. We must recognize, while it's not easy to get motivated, putting away the reminders of the holiday season is the quickest way to get the gluttonous tenancies out of our head. And, resetting the canvas for a new year, for 2014, is the simplest way to refresh our outlook and stay positively on track towards a balanced lifestyle. We will reach for a flavorful afternoon tiding, such as Lean Cuisine Three Cheese and Spinach Stuffed Pretzels, instead of that leftover holiday fudge, because we will now be focused on today.
Because we've taken the stairs and walked until out tootsies began to question who they were attached to, and carefully placed the temptations of 2013 out of sight and mind, we will remember that we still very much deserve an indulgence here and there. We must acknowledge that denying ourselves true pleasure is never a healthy part in a balanced lifestyle, and seek out reasonable compromises to fulfill our desires. We desire chocolate. We will reach for a Skinny Cow Divine Filled Chocolates pouch, full of three tempting little squares of oozing flavor. Our inner child will delight as the peanut butter filling melts along our tongue, teeth gently breaking through that milk chocolate shell. Our outer adult will protest at first, but we will soon realize, with just 130 calories per serving, we CAN indulge.
After our midday escape it will be time to recenter ourselves; there is still much to be done to prepare for this year, and still some goodbyes to be said to last. We will take down the old calendar and replace it with this year's 'Adorable Kittens in Teacups 2014' and sit down at our desk/couch/bench/lap to partake in a little virtual housekeeping. It is important we realize that our success hinges as much on our physical health and well being as our mental, and we must never leave holes for catastrophe to take hold. We are, of course, referring to the virtual hard-drive. We will organize our paperwork ahead of tax season, clear out the thousands of flagged emails we never plan on reading (do you
really plan on finally getting Lasik???), and we will copy all of our important data to the cloud or a physical hard-drive. Because we are bloggers we know this is the single most important task we can initiate to save our sanity from the impending technological collapse. As we consider this, we inch our cup of afternoon coffee just a few more inches away from that keyboard...
With the fate of our digital existence just a little less precarious, we will have a good stretch and retire knowing we have accomplished a great deal towards an awesomesauce 2014. When we again rise we will remember that the most important part of a balanced diet is to never forget breakfast. Our stomach chimes in with agreement as we tell ourselves 'Breakfast is the most important part of the day.' Our mouth chimes in, "I don't care, give me the Turkey Sausage English Muffin!" and we reach into the freezer for a Lean Cuisine breakfast. Because we are a blogger, and pride ourselves on integrity, we make a mental note that the turkey sausage patty appears quite dismal in relation to the rest of the sandwich, but resolve to not let it affect our photos, and leave this sentiment for the text. We head out the door for a morning walk and pay special attention to the scenic beauty that surrounds us, every day.
In fact, with a good foundation now set, we will be sure to continue our Happiness Road Map throughout 2014, paying special attention to ourselves, the beauty around us, and everything that gives us that #WowThatsGood feeling. A great place to start will be with the Lean Cuisine
Try It Feel Great Money Back Guarantee, where we can take any 10 Lean Cuisine dishes, from Walmart, for a test drive for 10 days straight and feel great. If for any reason we don't feel great at the end of our Try It trial we'll get our full purchase price back (up to $25); we've got nothing to lose and everything to gain! I can't promise we'll win the lottery in 2014, especially since we don't play, but I can promise big things when we work towards a balanced lifestyle of health and indulgence. Cheers!
What Daughter Says: Have the best of both worlds with a healthy balance of flavor and practicality in 2014.
