Happy New Year!

From : Ashli Wilson

After yesterdays wonderful talk by Marie,  and Jills Lesson in Relief Society, I am feeling renewed and refreshed and have many thoughts rambling around in my head.  Allow me to share.  Marie said many good things that stood out to me, but one of great importance was, (and I quote loosely) that if we were to keep in mind when making our resolutions this year that we are all children of God, how would that change what our resolutions are and how we go about them?  I (Ashli) am embarrassed to admit that the thought of being a child of God has never come into play when writing out my resolutions like 1. Lose weight 2. Stop eating sugar etc.  Food for thought.

Also, Jill led a discussion about taking time for reflection.  Reflection on the good that we accomplished and things we have learned in the past year.  Why is is that I always look back with a negative spin and think to myself  "I didn't do this, and this and this..." and end up defeated before I've even begun?

So, while not claiming to be any kind of professional life coach or anybody you really want to hear from, allow me to give a little advice at the beginning of the year that I will try to put into practice myself.

1.  Be Kind.  Be kind to yourself and others.  Someone once told me to picture people as if they had a sign on their head that literally read "Believe it or not, I'm doing my very best". That thought alone has made me a much happier and less judge mental person. Also I often think that if i were to talk to others the way I talk to myself I wouldn't have any friends.  As women we are especially good at putting ourselves down.  We need to stop that!

2.  On a practical note- Buy a pedometer.  Did you know that the recommended number of steps one should take each day just for health is 10,000?!?  For weight loss more like 12,000 or more.  I recently started wearing a pedometer and I love it.  It automatically makes me want to move more, take the stairs, and park further away from the store.  I sometimes feel like I don't ever sit down in the day and yet my little pedometer was only reading anywhere from 4,000-6,000 steps a day.  If I go to the gym and even just walk a few miles I very easily get my 10,000+ steps in, sometimes just even in the hour workout.  

3.  Get organized.  It doesn't have to cost any money to get rid of things in your home that you aren't using.  I was reminded of Lisa O'Neils presentation on getting organized where she gave each of us a black garbage bag and told us "If it doesn't bring you happiness and joy each time you look at it, GET RID OF IT!!!  Personally nothing gives me more joy than having a huge pile of things to drop off to a friend  or Good Will.  I feel so much more at peace with less stuff and more order.

Good luck this year ladies as you reflect on the great things you accomplished in the last year and all the good you will do in 2012.  Cheers!