New Year Perspective

Kathryn J. Raths, LLC Photo of my watercolor Blujay painting

I think if you went back to my December and January blog posts from the last couple of years you would see a theme/pattern of attempted weight loss sagas. I have offered many types of eating strategies and exercise routines that may or may not have worked. I seem to weigh, on average, an extra 5 pounds or so per year from over the past 10 years. Most of us know this up-and-down process is discouraging and unhealthy.

This year I am starting the year with a gym membership, better sleep because of my C-PAP (sleep apnea) machine, and a will to persevere. I have gifted myself extra time to get my psyche in line, to cradle myself with encouragement and self-love. Because what I think is the most important component to any healthy lifestyle change is whether it is genuine and bundled by compassion. In the past, I have not been very loving to myself; this is self-sabotaging. I know that beneath the extra fat on my body is a toned and fit person excited to surface, and in order for this inner self to show up, I must appreciate and love the outer shell that I am currently wearing. I am good with all of this!

I’m excited about my prospects this year. I am in the final year of my Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling and am starting to look at Doctorate programs in Art Therapy, which is my ultimate goal. I’m hopeful about the whole year from start to finish. It is a nice feeling!

Mentally and physically, I believe 2015 will trend more positive and I am fine with putting forth the effort and self-love to make this all happen! How about you?