Welcome to 2020, a new year and a new decade! I haven’t written a blog post in a while, and boy did I miss writing.

Today, I want to give you all a quick personal update and an update on my plans for this blog going forward. But most of all, I want to say thank you to the people who have taken the time to read my thoughts up to this point. It has meant a lot to me!

Before we proceed, please heed these wise words from Mr. Benjamin Franklin.

“Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each year find you a better man.”

Going forward, I’m going to enhance this blog. I want it to become more of what I originally intended for it to be: a place to discuss personal development topics and concerns of all kinds. Thus far, my posts have been more akin to an online journal.

As a reader, I value honesty in writing, so as a writer, I believe it essential to be willing and able to bear my soul at times. We all wrestle with some sort of personal demon(s), but that doesn’t mean we always have to go it alone. Sharing with you has helped me to work on my crap. Hopefully, it has also helped you with yours, even if it was merely the fact that you knew someone else was having a difficult time too.

So I don’t think this was the wrong way to begin.

I would like to continue sharing my journey with you. Ultimately, though, I hope for you to get more out of it too.

I’m feeling hopeful at the start of 2020. I think I’ve moved past the worst of last year’s loneliness. I feel more ready to tackle some of the changes I’ve wanted to make in my life and myself.

Last year, I attempted to get my external environment under control. I went through my belongings and ended up donating a lot of clothing and clearing out a lot of clutter. I still need to finish going through my storage. My apartment, though, has finally become a place I feel comfortable coming home to at the end of the day. It’s incredible how much your exterior situation can affect how you feel inside.

Or maybe reflect?

It has been difficult trying to pinpoint what I should work on next. I do need is to get healthier again. I know weight loss is a super cliché New Year’s resolution, but I’ve realized how much my weight, along with my diet and fitness habits, have affected my entire being. I’ve lost weight successfully in the past, so I should just need to make a few adjustments and adopt a solid plan.

I started working toward this new goal on January 6th. A little over a week into it, everything has been going well. I’m not cutting anything specific out of my diet other than overly processed foods, so I haven’t had any significant cravings yet. I’m just cutting down on portions and adding extra veggies, fruits, and proteins to my meals, plus a healthy snack or two. In effect, I’m likely eating a lower-carb diet, but that’s not my focus. I’ve never believed in trendy diets.

But please allow me a side note here.

I’m not knocking anything that may work for you. I’m all for evaluating individual needs to achieve success, and most of that means being honest with yourself. For instance, I know Keto and Whole30 have been super successful for a lot of people. It’s just not a permanent change I can see myself sticking with. I’m more concerned with an overall, long-term, lasting lifestyle change. Plus, I’ve typically been more of a bored eater, so I think my main challenge will be keeping myself occupied so as not to be tempted to snack on personal comfort foods.

Aside from diet, I have added a 40-minute power walk and some light stretching to my evenings. It may not be an hour at the gym, but I think it’s a good start considering my recently sedentary lifestyle. I’m excited to see what kind of progress I can make in the next few months.

I would love to hear your thoughts on what issues you struggle with, so please feel free to drop me a line. I want this site to be inspiring! I’m tired of focusing on drama and negativity. Hopefully, we can learn to be better together.

Thanks for reading!