This newsletter is a resolution-free zone.

Sort of.

Welcome to 2023! 

It’s the first issue of the New Year, and What I’d Rather Be Talking About is anything but resolutions.

Let me address two questions you may have after reading my opening line:

1. Didn’t she cover this in the last newsletter?

2. Isn’t this supposed to be a resolution-free zone? (She said “resolutions.”)

My replies:

1. Yes. But if you forgot what I said or didn’t read that issue, listen to me rant here.

2. Yes. It is sort of. But first, I need to share the story behind why resolutions don’t work for me, and tell you what I do instead.

Plus, did you know? 25% of people ditch their resolutions in the first week.

Photo by Maddi Bazzocco on Unsplash

Believe it or not, I don’t have anything against resolutions. It’s just I don’t have the capacity to follow them. Making resolutions remind me of my lame attempts at Lenten promises (with all due respect) as a kid. Giving up something for lent was a big deal at my Catholic grade school, almost like a spring project. (Again, with all due respect.) I’m not sure if I did this on purpose or by accident, but I mastered the art of making my Lenten journey work for me. For example, one year, I gave up “fighting with my brother.” Sounds very Christian and noble, yes. Except for the fact that I was 7 and my brother was 18, and away at college. Giving up fighting (which we really never did) was not a huge sacrifice. Then there’s the year when I gave up sweets, but this resolution came with my own guidelines - Pop Tarts were breakfast, Kudos were granola bars, and the 80’s favorite - Royals? These mint-flavored candies (sadly no longer available) by M & M’s were not candy, but actually a breath enhancer.

In other words, I worked the system so I wasn’t really giving up anything.

And that’s typically what I do with resolutions. So I don’t make them. Instead, I just take things one day at a time. Apologies to my 80’s friends who now can’t get this out of their heads.

So, with no resolution undertones, we’re going to talk about wellness this week. You don’t have to commit to these ideas or cook the recipes, but I think you might find a few interesting things. And, any of the ideas I share are of course open to your own interpretation.

Enjoy!

Abbey

IN MY EARS AND ON MY SCREEN

• First, let’s talk about nutrition. The Foodtrainer’s Podcast is always full of great info, and this episode sets the tone for 2023.

• Next, if you’re plant-based (or want to eat more plants) listen to The Plant-Based Morning Show. Here, hosts Doug and Matt talk about 2023 food trends & more.

• I just discovered The Whole Food, Plant-Based Cooking Show. It comes complete with a cheesy (hopefully vegan) theme song and a kitchen way cleaner than mine, plus some really good recipes. Give it a watch.

  

• If you liked last week’s article on wine, check out what this Wine CEO says about wine and food trends for 2023.

• Total 180 - are you giving Dry January a try? Or Dry-ish? On this episode of Redesigning Life, host Sabrina Soto (from HGTV) talks to Karolina Rzadkowolska about Dry January & Sober Curiosity.

  

• YOUTUBE - Whether it’s January or July, we all have days where we feel a bit under the weather. If that’s you, here’s a great detox chicken soup recipe that’s delicious & easy to make. Also, in case you’re wondering why chicken soup and ginger help us when we’re sick, see this YouTube from Dr. Josh Axe.

  

  Photo by Natural Chef Carolyn Nicholas on Unsplash

• FINALLY, science meets the Law of Attraction in this episode of The Mindbodygreen Show. Here, neuroscientist Tara Swart Bieber, M.D., Ph.D. teaches us how to actually change our brain chemistry to achieve what we want this year.

AND, ON A SERIOUS NOTE… a quote to consider as we embark upon 2023.

“The way you do one thing is the way you do everything.”

This is an old zen saying that I first heard from a really cool Bikram yoga instructor from Poland. Whenever I get off track in eating, sleeping, running around like a maniac, or any other area of my life, I think about this saying. It turns out to be true. When my eating is off, my sleep is affected and I don’t have as much energy for workouts. Plus, I’m crabby and not as focused as I’d like to be. So, I try to be intentional in “making good choices” for my health and wellness because those choices spill out into all areas of my life. I find this helps me stay (or get back) on track all year long, which to me equates to making resolutions, except without the pressure and expectations that accompany them.

But you do you, and regardless of how many resolutions you set, don’t set, or break… I wish you the best 2023 you can imagine.

Abbey