Blogger’s note: Please see our updated views based on reference to Rachel Hollis.

Over the years many have used the phrase, “today is the very first day of the rest of my life.”  It’s been in poems, song lyrics, quotes, movies and slogans.  We hear it often after a big life change when someone feels like they are starting over and they are looking for a clean slate.

Well, this week marked my first day.  I am starting over.  This last year has been one for the books.  Our family has experienced some of our highest highs and some of our lowest lows, sometimes in the same day.  This has been a year that we won’t forget but we are ready to move forward. Okay, it’s not a completely clean slate.  There isn’t some line in the sand marking this day as a new day.  It’s just a random day for most of us, but I am looking at it as the first day of a new year for me.

Last year is officially behind me.

So what am I doing for the rest of my life?  First, I need to take care of some business. For starters our middle daughter is getting married in 4 months!  So A LOT of wedding preparation is happening.  We are going to graduate  our youngest daughter from high school and send her to college.  We are going to watch our oldest daughter graduate from Physician Assistant school and probably move to yet another state to practice medicine. Andy and I are going to start a new chapter of our lives WITHOUT CHILDREN AT HOME. Perhaps I am getting ahead of myself, maybe next September will be the first day of the rest of our lives!

Yes, we have a lot happening, but when I say, “the first day of the rest of my life” I mean something more.  I mean really living.  I mean getting up early and living a life full of health, gratitude, goals, creativity, fitness, exploration and anything else I can fit in.  I am talking about working hard and playing hard.  I am talking about spending my years in joy and lots of endorphins.  Okay, I am also talking about sun, sand, and relaxation when possible. The point is I still have to do all the things, but I am going to focus on the other stuff; the good stuff in life.

Perhaps this sounds grandiose and maybe you feel like you’ve heard it before.  I don’t know if I’ve ever said this particular phrase, but in my head I have definitely thought it.  We have all had seasons in our lives where we made it through something and thought if we make it to the other side we are going to do things differently. I am not talking about falling off the exercise wagon and wanting to begin a workout routine again. I am talking about doing things DIFFERENTLY.  Looking at everything with fresh eyes.

As with any goal, you need to be specific.  I can’t just put in some new eyeballs and magically my world will be fresh, new, exciting and motivating. I have to have specific things that I want to put in place in order to make a change. I am still walking everyday and I am lifting weights 4 times a week. I am drinking more water because everyone knows that we need more hydration.  I am giving up the things that don’t serve me well such as dairy and diet pepsi.  I don’t have these things often now, but they both need to go away because they make me feel terrible.

I am going to stretch everyday because I need to and it feels so good.  I am also going to do planks everyday because my core is in dire need of some work.  No matter how much I work out, my middle just sits there mocking me, refusing to shed any light on my abdominal muscles.  I mean, I am sure they are still there, right?

I am going to start running again.  I am not promising that I will run half marathons and ultras again, but I want to get back to running a few days a week because that is where I find my endorphins.

I am going to write everyday because it gives me clarity and helps me to be more creative. I will add my gratitude list to every journal entry because I truly am so grateful for this life; the good, the bad, the frustrating and the things I may never understand.

This is an evolving list, but you get the idea.  It’s about forward motion, healthy habits and living life to the fullest. Will there be days when I come up short?  Probably, but those aren’t part of the plan.  Those are the days I am going to pull out my journal and remember where I started and why.  If that doesn’t work I will have my hubby to prod me forward.  He always has a list at the ready for me.

I will keep you posted on this new journey and how it’s going.  I can already tell you that I am going to start a #last90days challenge at the beginning of October as extra incentive to move forward with my fresh outlook on life.  I will tell you more about that next week so start thinking about the fact that we are a mere 103 days from the new year.  Where do you want to be in 103 days?