Today’s post is about changes you made to tweak this year- routine, life, self-care…. etc!

 

Join hosts  Girlxoxo, Traveling with T and Estella’s Revenge for our 4th annual #AMonthofFaves blog event – a fun way to recap the year that was. We have every day of the event (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) planned out for you, so you can join in anytime. There will also be a link-up on all our blogs – put a link to your post so  that we can stop by each and every post to leave comments, high fives, good vibes and well wishes. Here’s what we’ll be blogging about.

 

Today’s prompt: Fri. | Dec. 15 – Best Changes You Made To Tweak This Year #AMonthofFaves – best changes you made or routines you kept that to better organize your day / life; your = morning, evening or daily routines.

Changes I made in 2017:

 

1. I’m still drinking a ton of water. I don’t crave the sugary drinks like I used to (although, I’ll hurt somebody if they pass a McDonald’s and not ask me if I want a sweet tea when we’re going on a road trip 😉

 

2. I’m eating more at home. Partly because where I live there is NOT a lot of option for eating out and you can only eat Mexican or fast food so many nights. Loaded baked potatoes are my fav- but I also love a good omelette and some chicken salad with grapes, green onions and pecans.

 

3. I’m still gardening (well not now since it’s winter, but in the spring and summer, I’m planting, cutting flowers, etc….)

I also learned an important lesson in gardening this summer. Always wear your gloves while gardening! I was walking around one day and because I wasn’t “gardening” I didn’t have my gloves and I bent down to dead-head some flowers. I felt a pinch and then I noticed these little bug like things hanging from strings around the flower. On the underside of the plant was a spider that after doing some Googling- loves to hang in green plants. While I wound up being ok- it was just a reminder that I really need to keep my gloves on and not just dive my hands in plants to dead-head.

 

4. I’m paying attention. A few weeks ago, Miss A, was at the house. When she’s there- I’m pretty much off the blog/social media grid. On this day, we were going to Walmart with Mimi (my mom and her grandmother). Mimi was driving and Miss A was in the backseat in her safety seat. I was also sitting back there because she requested that I sit with her. After getting her in the seat, occupied with her Kindle Fire, I pulled my phone out to do some social media checking. The road to Walmart is a well traveled highway, but there is not much exciting about it. It’s land, houses, cows and horses. For 10 miles. I travel it every week at least twice a week. On the way there, Miss A put her Kindle Fire down and started looking at something and then she said “Tam! Tam! Did you see that? It was a cow!” I told her I missed that cow and she looked at me and said “You’re NOT paying attention.”

And she was right. This road had become so “been there done that” that I wasn’t paying attention. Her words made me wonder what other things I’m missing out on…….

 

5. I’m spending more time with my cats. I love my kitty cats. I’m aware that some people in my family think I may have crossed over to the crazy cat lady status (Sir Thomas wearing clothes really was the final thing to convince these people)- however, let the record state: I DID NOT DRESS UP SIR THOMAS FOR MY ENJOYMENT. It was a medical necessity and might I add mental health necessity- because if I had to deal with these vet people one more time about these stitches- some heads were going to roll….

The truth is: I like my cats more than I like  some people. It’s not a thought that I verbally express a whole lot- people are so sensitive 😉 😉 But it’s the truth.

 

6. I’m cherishing alone time. Yes, even sometimes I want to get away from the cats (lol). No, seriously, I used to think that to go out to eat, you had to have a friend. Now, in past years- I’d pretty much gotten over that. But I sometimes still felt a bit something about eating by myself. Now, I just walk in- ask for a table for one and roll with it. Sometimes, I eat at the bar, but often I will hold out for the table for 1.

I always enjoyed shopping by myself. I just enjoy it even more now.

And driving by myself…. I can turn the music up as loud (or not as loud) as I want, listen to audio books, and put the sunroof down (even when it’s a bit cold)

But what I really learned about alone time in 2017 is that I need it. No, I NEED it. I need time to be alone. To rest. To recharge. Because when I’m running on (figuratively) empty- no one is happy.

 

Link Up Here:

 

*What changes did you make this year?*

 

Happy Reading and Bookishly Yours,

T @ Traveling With T