A New Year!

September is always the start of the new year for me, not January, and this year I intend to live my life in such a way that I am happy, healthy and fulfilled. Yesterday was day one and this post records how it went.

6:20am: I wake up before the alarm and for once am feeling fine. I went up to bed much earlier and have slept well. I lie in bed for ten minutes using that time to affirm that today will be a good day, that I am happy, and that I have plenty to be grateful for. I think about what I'd like to do today and have a plan of sorts in my head (obviously I have lots of lists on paper as well!).  I read about this approach recently but can't remember who wrote it so please let me know if it is you and I'll link to your blog.

I get dressed and before going downstairs I  finish my daily blog post and press publish. Once downstairs I take my first lot of medication and then head straight out of the front door for an early morning walk.

I  turn from away the canal and choose a circular route via the paths which crisscross this part of the village. I'm not the only one out this early and exchange greetings with the dog walkers I pass. It's bright and sunny but there is a bit of a chilly breeze. The air is filled with bird song and I stop for five minutes to listen ... it's beautiful and cheers me, so well worth those few minutes. Noted!

Back home I make my bed, then jump in the shower, get dressed for the day and head into the kitchen to boil the kettle for my first hot drink. My first drink for the past few weeks has been  boiled  water, not coffee, and I sit in the living room to read while I drink it. I remind myself that it doesn't need to be rushed and I enjoy the quiet time. Noted!

8ish: I'm ready for my breakfast so I hard boil some eggs, enough for the next three days. Today I choose to have an egg sandwich followed by an apple and the last few strawberries, and take my second lot of medication. I've cleared a space at the table and enjoy a leisurely breakfast, no need to rush. Noted!

Then I start a load of washing (towels), and empty all the recycling from the kitchen bin to the wheelie bins behind the garage. Tomorrow it's the glass, foil, tins, and paper collection so I move that collection box to the end of the drive ready for the fortnightly collection. This is something I usually leave until the last minute but it's always on my mind all day ... doing it first thing is a big change and the way to remove self-inflicted stress. Noted! 

I check my emails only to find that there's one that can't wait and requires immediate attention, but first go to make a hot drink and, as I paddle across the kitchen it's obvious that the washing machine has leaked. Aargh!!! I get more towels out of the airing cupboard for operation mop up and then puzzle out what has happened. The machine is frantically flashing an error code at me so I Google that to discover that there is 'too much water in the machine'. How that is possible when I've just spent the last five minutes mopping up the flood I don't know, but the instruction said to switch off the machine, remove washing, and drain the machine manually ... so I did. They lied! There was no excess water in the machine so I turn it off, wait a few minutes, switch it back on and rewash the towels on the shortest cycle. I plonk a chair in front of the machine, sit there and watch the entire cycle (15 minutes) for any sign of a leak. It works perfectly, thank goodness, so I breathe a sigh of relief, set the towels to dry and head back upstairs to deal with the email. This is the sort of upset which could ruin my day but I take the time to think it through and ... the problem is resolved so no need to get worked up about it. Noted!

10ish: A few phone calls and texts later and I've answered the email so it's a good time for another coffee break. I have to finish reading the book group choice ready for tomorrow night so I settle down to read a few chapters - I'm not even half way yet, so will have to put in some serious reading hours to get it finished in time.

11ish: Back to the kitchen to prepare the veg for tonight's meal, roast chicken, roasties, cabbage, runner beans, sprouts and gravy. I prefer to eat my main meal in the evening so while I'm in the kitchen I make a sandwich ready for lunch. This all takes longer than it should as I've somehow become Miss Popular and texts and phone calls constantly interrupt the meal prep. Instead of cutting the calls short because I'm busy, I remind myself that it's no big deal, I've chosen to be happy, so I go with the flow and I talk for as long as people want to. The prep gets completed in between calls, I've had a good chat with family and friends and I feel good. Noted!

1ish: I've eaten my lunch and have been ploughing through the book. It's not the best book we've read but it's turning out to be more enjoyable than I first thought it would. It's warm enough to sit outside to eat and when I finish my sandwich, I wander round the garden to note what needs to be done.

this is the rose I photographed two days ago - the first flowers are turning white!

The previous day's rain has encouraged some more weeds to show their heads, there's a bit of deadheading, and some bindweed has reappeared through the fence, so I make a mental note that I need to spend some time in the garden either tomorrow or the next day.

2ish: I start the second lot of towels (used to mop up the water) and settle down to carry on with the book. I know I left it too late to start the book and it's that as much as anything which is affecting my enjoyment of the book ... it's no fun when it feels like chore, so I need to get myself organised for the future book group reads. Noted!

5ish: The chicken is cooked and also a gammon joint, cooked at the same time to make full use of the oven. As soon as I start in the kitchen the phone starts ringing and I am once again Miss Popular ... is there a hidden camera or something? I go with the flow until it is time to steam the vegetables and then I ignore the calls and subsequent texts, and concentrate on the meal. Again I sit at the table to eat my meal, much more relaxing and a timely reminder that I need to get on and finish disposing of the remainder of the decluttered items. Noted!

Evening: I sit outside again after I finish my meal, just sitting and enjoying the moment. Then, washing up completed, clean towels put away and the kitchen tidied, I settle on the sofa to finish the book. I finish it about 9pm which leaves time to play the piano for  a while before bedtime.

Bedtime is 10:30pm. I settle in bed, decide what to wear tomorrow, and set the alarm for 7:00am. I usually read for a while but I am ready to sleep so turn out the light. It's been a good day!

I know that it won't be as easy every day and that I need to work towards making this positive attitude a habit, but I firmly believe that it will work and will enhance my life.