The New Year is coming and I have no grand resolutions. Until I’m actually doing the things that I know bring me health, joy and rest, I’m not adding another thing to my list.

Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

The new year, new month, new week and new day are only invitations to remember what I already know and constantly forget. 

The basics. 

I will share mine but not so you get ideas of more you could or should do. I will share mine to show you how simple they are and even though they are simple I STILL HAVE A HELL OF A TIME DOING THEM, ANY OF THEM, ON A DAILY BASIS.

What are they?

1. Breathe in through my nose and out through a straw for 3-5 minutes

2. Do at least one yoga pose

3. Free-write in my journal for 10 minutes without stopping

4. Guided imagery before bed

These are the tools I use to deal with symptoms of post-traumatic stress, normal daily stress as well as to help me be more present as a mother and to just to feel good overall. They help me with heartbreak as well as money stress.

Nothing on my list is fancy or expensive. I know what works for me, what helps, what sustains, what strengthens and restores me.

The trick is actually dedicating time and energy and doing them. As well as drinking water, sleeping eight hours a night, flossing fanatically and eating more greens. 

I’m pretty sure if I did the things I know are good for all humans beings as well as the things especially good for me I’d be in bliss. But I don’t. Not daily. Not yet.

Each of the things on my list I do at least once a week

That’s something.

I know what I need to be doing even when I’m not doing it.

That too is progress.

It keeps me from constantly looking for a new cure, fix, love, job, home, career or approach, It keeps me from believing the bullshit that if I just got my house cleaner, my bank account more flush, a new anything that life would be easier, less hard or whatever.

In the past, I’d spend gobs of time and money on talk therapy, spiritual seeking and obsessing about what I wish went right while documenting and detailing every single thing in my life that went wrong.

It helped me understand why I felt crappy. It didn’t help me feel happy.

What helps me feel happy is what makes me feel healthy. When I feel at ease and good in my skin, bones and self.

I feel at ease when I’m breathing, stretching, creative and swimming in happy thoughts.

I feel happy when I’m present and notice my daughter, the weather or a new song.

It’s not glamorous or quick but it’s reliable and doable.

I just have to continue doing more and more of what works more and more often.

That’s all.

Nothing new. Nothing radical. Nothing is wrong or broken.

The new year is a reminder for me to remember what I already know. It, like every other year, month, week or morning offers a simple invitation to begin again.