Lent

New Year's is a time when people evaluate their year and try to start fresh, for some reason I don't feel the need to make a change then, for me New Years is the warning bell that Lent is coming.  I probably have six weeks (at the most) to get ready for the real time for reflection and change.  Lent itself is six weeks long, which is theoretically a great amount of time to form new positive habits.

Every year I spend some time figuring out what improvements and sacrifices I can make during the time, in the past I have given up alcohol, sugar, or desserts, gone to the gym every day.  I have focused on being nicer to people, made an attempt to make at least 2 new friends.  This is of course is combined with regular church going and no meat on Fridays.

This year I'm going to give up alcohol and sugar, it will drive me crazy and hopefully help me "get healthy"  (which is a euphemism for thinner), but I'm also going to work on my procrastinating.  I have a problem getting things done that really need to get done, and then not giving myself any credit for the accomplishment.  I want to develop some habits over this period that make me more productive and able to really get things done and be proud of it. 

Specifically I need to take pride in my housekeeping, cooking and child-rearing.  It's an easy thing to say and supported by society but in the middle of the tasks, it feels like you never accomplish anything.  Coming from the working world which is full of "thanks" and rewards this is very different and it's taken me the last year to finally get into a rhythm.   I am hard on myself which is counterproductive.  Additionally, it has been almost a year since I started quilting.  I want to take this next year and take more risks and expand my horizons.  I want to knit more and create more and love it all.