Reflections as We End the Year

Personal Note

As many of us are rushing about and wrapping things up before the holidays, I wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you to those who have been following along and reading this newsletter.?

It has been truly meaningful to connect with you, read your comments, and to have this space to share my thoughts and vulnerabilities in a way that I have never shared publicly before.?

As I’m reflecting on 2023, starting this newsletter has been a highlight. It has also kept me accountable for making my monthly “me lists,” so I have been pushing myself to stick to it. : )?

A few months ago, I put “watch one episode of ‘Blue Zones’” on my Me List and I ended up watching multiple episodes. I also read “Outlive” by Peter Attia” and I finished the book a few weeks back. I consider myself pretty aware of the importance of nutrition, sleep, and exercise, and I love watching numbers on my wrist as I do good things for myself. But even with that, “Blue Zones” and “Outlive” were eye-opening to me and have motivated me to tweak my habits, like what I snack on when I’m hungry, or choosing to walk faster to get more “Zone 2” time.?

If you are interested in health and longevity, and looking for a good show to watch or a book to dive into over the holidays, I recommend “Blue Zones” on Netflix and “Outlive” by Peter Attia. I’ve also recently discovered The Huberman Lab podcast and I’m enjoying making my way through new episodes while I am driving to pick up kids or exercising.?

Purpose & Productivity?

While hearing about the importance of exercise, nutrition, sleep, and emotional health may sound repetitive and obvious, I highly value findings from new scientific studies on preventative healthcare. There are many things we can be doing proactively to avoid diseases and support our longevity to live a full life for longer - and this excites me. By implementing research findings into our own lives, we can all be scientists for our own bodies and figure out what we need personally, as our individual needs will vary depending on many factors. For example, I crave “Zone 5” exercise but have learned that I need to mix in more “Zone 2” for optimal health. And while I am good with eating a lot of vegetables, I learned I need to up my protein intake.??

Going into the new year I always set resolutions and I work hard to stick with them. This year my resolutions will be directly related to my health and wellbeing. I will be working through these over the holidays and can’t wait to share more about how I set and keep my resolutions with you in January.?

For now, I will leave you with a few reflection questions that I like to ask myself at the end of the year to get my thoughts started when crafting my resolutions.?

What are three words to describe the past year, and why??

What are my top 3 professional accomplishments of the year??

What was my favorite family or personal memory of the year??

I’d love to hear from you in the comments if you are open to sharing your answers.?

December Me List

• I wasn’t able to unplug for 48 hours (not even 24, not even 12…) during Thanksgiving, so I am going to try again during the holiday break?
• Make time to get massage?
• Have a serious laugh (or three) with my family during the holiday break

Wishing you all a very happy, healthy, and restful holiday as we close out 2023. I’m looking forward to sharing more together in 2024!?

Yoky?