Finding Balance in 2012

The 4 quadrants of health (clockwise from top left): physical, mental, emotional, spiritual

Life is messy. There is no doubt about that. But in the midst of the craziness we all need to find at least some semblance of balance in order to keep from feeling completely disconnected and lost. In 2011, I let that balance elude me, and by the end of the year I was feeling utterly and totally drained, overwhelmed, and exhausted. So my goal for 2012 is to bring balance back to my life by examining each aspect of my health (physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual), and making any changes or adjustments necessary to restore equilibrium.

Is it a "New Year's Resolution?" Call it what you will: a goal, a resolution, a plan, whatever, the term is irrelevant. I need to make some changes in my life, period, and I think the beginning of a new year is just as good a time as any to do that. Besides, there is something therapeutic about a new year and the sense of a fresh start that comes with it.

Over the year, I'll be blogging periodically about my progress, both overall and in each of the 4 specific areas, but for now, these are the basic goals:

Physical

Overall, my physical health is pretty good, but there are a few inconsistencies that I'd like to address. Sleep: I usually get enough sleep, but it rarely follows any predictable pattern. Working on call makes it difficult to get into a routine, but I am hoping to at least start going to bed and getting up at the same times every day, especially on weekends. Night time blood checks will continue as always. Diet: Towards the end of last year my diet got really bad. Too much take-out and fast food, skipping meals, and late night snacking left me feeling tired and my blood sugar going low way too often. I need to eat 3 meals a day at somewhat similar times every day, have regular snacks, and make sure I get protein at every meal to help stabilize my blood sugar. Exercise: My exercise routine almost exactly mirrors my my sleep and diet patterns, so when 1 suffers, all 3 suffer. This year I have some pretty lofty exercise goals (including running my first full marathon), to help keep me on track.

Mental

Last year I rediscovered my love for reading, and I want to build on that in 2012. Once per month I'll be posting about the "Blood, Sweat and Carbs Book Club" and discussing any books I've read that month. This will include diabetes related books and fiction. I am aiming to read 50 books in 2012, or about 1 per week.

Emotional

Stress is my biggest culprit, slowly invading every other aspect of my life. I can learn how to deal with my stress better, let things go, and relinquish some of my need for control. I can be a better wife and better mother. The overlap between this area and the other 3 is huge.

Spiritual

In terms of spiritual heath, I am not entirely sure yet what my exact goals are, but I do know this: I need to be more present and more aware. My life is busy and I tend to get caught up in the day to day details and lose track of what matters most. I would like to find a little bit of time every day just for me, to meditate and clear my head. I am also thinking of returning to church. I haven't been in far too long and I feel like I'm in a good place right now to return.

So those are the basics for now. More specific details and progress reports will appear throughout the year.