Mindfulness

Free cherry tomatoes found at the Valley Ford P.O.

This time of year always sparks a renewal for me.  I had a spectacular birthday weekend, which naturally spilled into the week and then into the next.  I like it this way - a nice, long celebration and time for reflection on my life.

Grady's art designs + thrift shop t-shirts = Upcycled Goodness

I've been busying myself with art projects and volunteer posts at Grady's school.  I'm trying to let go of a few things and add in activities that feed my soul and keep pushing me forward as a woman, as a mama, as a wife.

I rung in my 43rd year with a beautiful, intimate dinner party hosted by our good friends and neighbors, Scott + Jill.  The dessert was a beautiful Rothko-inspired ice cream cake and it was as delicious as it was unique.

I spent a marathon day thrifting with Steph and the kids and we wound up with 11 pairs of shoes purchased between us!  It was an epic day of shopping and boy were we exhausted when it was all said and done.

The next day was spent hiking 10 miles near the Russian River in Jenner.  The intention of starting off this 43rd year in an active and positive way was not far from my mind and I'm so glad I chose to get out in the world, laugh, talk and feel myself getting stronger as I headed into this next year on earth.

Home + Books + Flowers + Cake + My Boy

I've been putting off going to the doctor to follow-up on my high blood pressure diagnosis.  I guess I was hoping the medication she previously put me on would be working its magic and that these few months of changed diet and exercise may have had a positive impact on my numbers.

Well, I was wrong.

Soccer season is in full swing - my favorite spectator sport

As I sat in the doctor's office quietly trying to settle my mind and rest my heart rate, I started to think about this getting older thing.  I've never been afraid to age, but it finally clicked for me that it was more than just turning a number on your birthday.  Getting older was about being more in tune with yourself, knowing your weaknesses and strengths.  Paying attention to my body and how it reacted to things has been new for me.  I've taken my health and diet for granted for as long as I can remember.  I'm not bragging, but I just didn't consider myself into the equation...until now.

Kooky carrots grown at my office garden plot
Asian pears from our one and only abundant pear tree

Getting those test results and hearing that my blood pressure is still in the unsafe zone (135/103) really made me stop and ask myself when are you going to grow up and take care of yourself?  I take care of everyone else, how about me?  Now I know how to have a good time and overindulge, but I'm clueless on the delicate balance of less is more when it comes to red meat, alcohol and salt.  I've never monitored it and, yes, it's gotten me into some sticky situations - but I've only stopped my bad behavior intermittently, rested up and then started all over again.

This doctor's appointment freaked me out and reminded me that this should be a wonderful year of balance and not the same 'ole do whatever you want and pay for it later kind of year.

And so I declined going to the wine shop on last Friday night (even though Sunset magazine was there doing a photo shoot on the deck overlooking the bay!) and opted to stay home with my boy, read a few good cookbooks and allow myself a very dry martini while I settled into reading about the new habits I would be adopting in the kitchen in the coming weeks.

This week started off clean and fresh.  I even purchased a small bag of nutritional yeast, dried goji berries and a jar of Veganaise.  No laughing.  I blame Gwyneth Paltrow and her new book.  Sister has convinced me to try a few new things.

I'm turning over a new leaf where my diet and weekly exercise are concerned, as well as ratcheting down my cocktail hour shenanigans (not completely, but severely).  I've made running dates with my husband (and he stood me up on the first one!), penciled in mega-hikes with the girlfriends for the next month and cancelled a few dinner party invites that I knew would land me in the overindulgent morning after mode.

Yes, I'm going to practice mindfulness as it relates to my health.

That only took 43 years to process.