The year that just ended has been such a busy one. I have been juggling two kids in different schools, two jobs (one online and one at a local junior college) and my own classes that I am taking at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. This on top of my own ongoing health and life goals that I struggle to keep on track and work on. We are all works in progress, after all, and so my attention is pulled to work on myself from time to time too!
Now that we are in a new year, I can reflect on where I have been and where I see myself going. My IIN experience is half over now and I'm certified to begin seeing clients and helping people find a path to wellness! :) I am still employed by both jobs, even though I had hoped to drop one by now. However, we rely on that income still, so I plug on. My children are amazing as ever and really growing by leaps and bounds in so many ways. I enjoy my time with them and feel so blessed to get to spend as much time with them as I do.
This past year was actually a very tough one with my eldest. She has proven to be a challenge when it comes to behavior. She isn't a bad kid, but she has chosen over and over again to ignore what we tell her and make bad choices. We have gone quite a few rounds with her and I really have been sad about how hard it seemed and how frustrating it has been for both of myself and my husband. We repeated ourselves so many times and worked so hard to get through to her. We have given to her in rewards and taken away in punishments. We have tried so many different things to make a change in her and in our relationship and it never seemed to make any difference. Until recently.
In the past few weeks, finally, there seemed to be a crack in the armor. I cannot tell for certain what did the trick, but I think it had to do with the time we spent together over break. I think it had to do with spending time with other people over break and the comparisons she was able to make during that time. I think maybe she started to realize that she DOES have it good? Maybe things just finally started to make sense? Maybe she reached a different point of maturation? WHATEVER it is I am thankful and appreciative for it. I have tried to reward her good behavior and articulate my happiness to her here and there so she knows her efforts are not unnoticed.
If this continues in 2013, this may prove to be the best year EVER. If not, then I guess parenting isn't over at age eight, huh? ;)
This year I have so much I hope to accomplish. I turn 40 by the tenth month of the year and so it is a big year for me personally. When people turn 30 it is usually a big marker in their life and a time for reflection, but that birthday was but a blip on the radar to me. I have a feeling 40 will hit me harder because so much more in my life seems to matter now and I am far more passionate about the people and things in my life right now. I feel like I have accomplished a lot recently in working toward some important goals but I also feel like I am at the beginning of a new adventure.
Things are just beginning! Stay tuned!
