The first month of the year has wrapped up which means it is time to check in to see how the singular small change each of us made went as the Year of Welcoming in Quality and Reducing the Quantity began: Reduce or eliminate entirely one food or food type that does not serve you well.
As was shared at the mid-way point, the progress on my quest to reduce or eliminate refined sugar began well, but it wasn’t perfect. With a few slips and nibbles of items that had refined sugar in them, I continued with a similar track record the rest of the month, albeit without enjoying as many crackers which I will count as progress.
What I learned by limiting/reducing refined sugars:
- Simply by not buying refined sugars and bringing them into my home, I rarely eat them.
- However, items with refined sugar tend to be the food of choice at work for gatherings, meetings, etc., which means I have to plan my lunches and snacks wisely.
- Bloating and feeling insatiable is the effect of eating refined sugars as a snack or meal.
- My reduction approach has helped me become more hyper-aware of highly refined sugar items.
- I can enjoy a croissant without jam.
- Currently in the middle of reading The Case Against Sugar which is eye-opening.
Moving forward, my approach of reducing refined sugars will continue. While I won’t be able to abstain completely, my mood, my figure, my palette and my mind were balanced, natural and something I became very comfortable with. The simple awareness of paying attention to the additive that we either know or don’t know is in some of the foods we eat heightened my curiosity to learn more which reaffirmed that yes indeed, refined sugar deserved to be limited.
Now to February . . .
February:
~Letting go or limiting use of a social media app that isn’t serving you as you strive to build relationships
At some points during my day, I find myself holding my cell phone and absent-mindedly checking my social media apps for the second or third time in a matter of minutes. It isn’t until I stop, am brought back to the present and step out of my unconscious habituation of tapping, swiping and “liking” that I realize I’ve wasted time, missed an opportunity to have a conversation with someone or been far more productive on a task I had wanted to complete.
Now don’t get me wrong, I appreciate immensely the tools that are my social media. After all, it is how I communicate with many of TSLL readers, but what if I refrained from using one social media app that is perhaps causing more stress than it is improving the quality of my life?
So which one would it be? Twitter has crossed my mind only because it is how I learn more about current news events, which can lead me to more news stories and more stress and more angst and then, well, lately, it hasn’t been a positive addition. I can absolutely say I will be keeping Instagram. It is probably one of my favorite apps for inspiration, beauty, and being taken virtually to Paris each and every day. What about Facebook? Hmmmm.
Okay, as a blogger, I need to be able to stay in contact, but this is the change I want and need to make. No checking of Twitter upon waking up in the morning and going to bed at night. No scrolling and no seeing what has occurred while I was asleep. Nope. I am just going to start and end the day without the world’s alarm until I am ready and out of my bedroom.
How about you? What social media app would you like to reduce or let go of for a month? Feel free to share in the comments below. I will be checking in on February 15th and sharing my progress. As well, I am beginning to read Irresistible: the Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked by Adam Alter which is released next month and I look forward to sharing with you want I discover. May February offer an opportunity to reconnect with people face-to-face and cultivate deeper, more quality based relationships at work and at home.
What’s ahead in the year of Welcoming the Quality and Reducing the Quantity:
March
~Letting go of busy mentality
April
~Reducing mindless eating
May
~Mastering the use of credit
June
~Understanding and reducing self-doubt
July
~Curtailing the negative commentary (internal and external)
August
~How to approach staying informed but not overwhelmed by the news of the world
September
~Designated no work zones
October
~Smart shopping for clothing
November
~Recognizing, understanding and eradicating self-imposed limitations
December
~TBA
from The Simply Luxurious Life®
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