Resolutions

It's Christmas Eve, I'm stuck at my parents' house... but all I can think if is jujitsu. Not just jujitsu, but necessarily lifestyle changes that need to be made in order to improve...well, everything. I guess if you want to label it, this post is about resolutions, except I wouldn't even call them resolutions because they are changes that I need to make in order to be happy and successful, and to keep my life in order, regardless of the new year. Sure, you can make order out of chaos, but it's better to prevent the chaos right?

1. Strength and Conditioning: this is something I haven't been doing at all lately due to some excuse or other. I know what I need to do, so I need to take an hour every other day out of my schedule and just get it done.
2. Diet: I don't mean eat less. I need to eat clean, simple, right... no more processed foods, no sugar. The hard part is sticking to it in this world - if my coworker brings in homemade raspberry cheesecake... gotta say no. 
3. Minimize: What do I mean by that, you ask? Minimalism is simplicity; it'sthe principle of living with only the essentials, with what you need. It means I don't need something in my closet that I haven't worn for over a year, because chances are I'm not going to wear it. Or that box of miscellaneous items like a clutch, old nail polish, sewing kit... It's cutting out the excess in your life so you can enjoy what you do have. It reduces clutter, and reduces stress. I want to have as minimal a lifestyle as possible in order to reduce the unnecessary stuff in my life to focus that which I love.
4. No more excuses: I'm tired, I'm cold, I'm sore, I'm sick - they're endless, and they need to go away. As Nike is famous for saying, Just Do It.
5. Positive Thinking: I have to point this one to J. I am always putting a negative spin on something already negative; how you think affects your mood; it also affects your day, your attitude, and everyone around you.

If you realize how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought again. - Peace Pilgrim .

Those five things are lifestyle changes that I feel are crucial to living well. The key now is to keep motivation enough to achieve these goals. Though as I think about it, I realize that motivation isn't even necessary if you just believe in the philosophy and principles behind minimalism, positive thinking, etc. because it's a positive lifestyle change. If you want to do well, you have to believe in what you're doing.

Anyway, here's to positive change, a new Sonia, and I guess a new year.