I like lists. I depend on them. I make a list for nearly everything:
- Grocery lists.
- To-do list of what I need to accomplish in a day.
- List of what I need to discuss with my doctor at an office visit.
- A list of calls or emails I need to make or return.
- A list of bills I’m paying each week.
- A list of concerns I need to pray for for myself or that I’ve been asked to pray for regarding others.
- A list of writing ideas.
- A list of books I want to read.
As you may have realized, I just created a list of things I create lists about!
This time of year, when Spring is upon us, I start resolving to do things, to improve things, and revamp my life. This is when I’m inspired to make resolutions and make healthy changes, internally and externally. Spring makes you feel alive. It brings new life and and rebirth and it’s almost as if we’re emerging from hibernation. It makes me want to ramp up my fitness routine that I let slack over the cold winter months and reminds me that bikini season is barreling down on us fast. This is great incentive to get to the gym regularly!
I love a clean house. It’s good for the soul when your home–your haven, the place where you come to decompress and shut out the world–is ordered and free of chaos. That’s no easy feat, especially if clutter has gotten away from you and you’re feeling overwhelmed. I’m no Monica Geller (Friends). As much as I might wish I had a Monica-like obsession with constant meticulous housekeeping and the inability of tolerating even the smallest thing out of order in my life or home, it’s just not in my constitution to be that way. My Mom had that gene and it stopped with her. Of course, I absolutely love to have my home, my car, and my people perfectly cleaned and coifed, but I have to make a concerted effort to make that a reality. Having a daily fight against a chronic illness that causes bitter fatigue is an added challenge.
To that end, this week as the sun shines and the weather promises warmer temperatures “just around the corner”, I’ve compiled two comprehensive (stayed tuned for #2) but hopefully simple and useful to-do lists to get my body and my home in the best working order. I like simple and I like lists and I like the feeling of accomplishment. It’s very gratifying when I cross items off my lists. If you’re a list-maker like me, you may even do something not on the list but then write it on the list just so you can have the satisfaction of crossing it off.
My list love has led me to devise and share my health and spring cleaning goals and lists and my health to-do list is as follows. If you haven’t implemented a fitness routine just yet, please do. Pinterest is my favorite place to grab a workout for days I can’t get to the gym. With very little searching effort you can find a workout tailored to your needs, your area of interest (thighs, Pilates, abs, yoga), that’s doable in your available space of time. Try searching something like “ten minute beginner abs” and it’s a safe bet your result will show several ab workouts you can perform in ten minutes or less at the ability level of a beginner. Do it. Do one every day and see what changes you notice in your body and life. If you (and I!) do this daily for two weeks, your body will start to crave that exercise. You’ll want it for your health but you’ll want it also because you don’t want to lose the new shape your body is starting to take on.
Come back next time and I’ll share my spring cleaning list for the home. It may take me all Spring to manage to deep clean my entire house, but by gosh, I’m going to do it and I’ll share with you my plan of attack.
