I'm 30 and I need to do something...

This was the fiance's first suggestion for the title of my blog.  It makes sense since this was my response when he asked me why I was writing it, but it just wasn't going to work.

• First, I'm not going to be 30 forever (unfortunately!).

• Second, it was just a little too long to type into the address bar.

• Third, it makes me sound super boring and although I might be, who wants to broadcast that to the world (or right now, just the few friends I tell about this blog! :))?

• In all honesty, though, it doesn't really speak to the purpose of my blog.

So what is this blog all about anyway?  It starts with, "I'm 30, and I need to do something..." but it goes far beyond that.  Turning 30 yesterday marked a new decade in my life, and important life events, like the big 3-0, always make me stop to reflect on where I'm at.  What I discovered was that I'm really happy with a lot of things in my life:

• I have an amazing family, and I'm very blessed to have them.  I feel so lucky that I was given this family.  I know you can't choose your family, but if I could, I'd choose them!

• I have found the love of my life, and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with him.  He spoils me more than he should and he is (almost :)) always there to listen to me!  If he's not listening, it's because he's straightening me out, which I need!

• I have a great group of close friends.  I used to think I need to have a LOT of friends to be happy, but I've recently realized it's having a few really GOOD friends that means the most.

• I love being able to make a positive difference in the lives of my first graders everyday.  I feel so lucky to be surrounded by 17 little smiling faces 5 days a week and call it "work."

• I found a passion in my career - reading.  I LOVE learning about teaching reading and spreading the knowledge through my students and co-workers.  I am so proud to have finished my reading master's last year and I can't believe it, but I want to learn more!

• I feel good about how I've evolved into a more body-conscious and eco-conscious eater over the last year.  It all started with Cook This, Not That: A Kitchen Survival Guide, a book that the fiance suggested we pick up at the airport while waiting for a flight.  I started thinking about what I was actually putting into my body everyday, and I wanted to learn more.  Eventually, I read Food Rules: An Eater's Manual and 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth among countless other books as well as a few blogs, including Healthy Tipping Point and The Fitnessista and that's it, I was forever a changed person.

I'm sure there are a hundred more things I could think of to add to the list above, but let's be honest, this post is already getting long (especially for a first post - yikes! lol).

Truthfully, though, I thought more about what I WASN'T doing and what I WASN'T happy with in my life yesterday than what I was happy about.  (This blog is already working!  I am thinking more positive today :)).  Here are just a few goals I have:

• Be more active!!  I always have some grand excuse for not getting to the gym, going to yoga, going for a run, or otherwise being active.  The truth is, I just don't do it and I need to.  I feel good about what I'm putting into my body, and now I need to feel good about how I'm treating it.

• Be a better partner.  I don't always feel that I pull my weight in my relationship with the fiance and I need to improve on this, and asap!  At times, I am self-centered and don't see how my actions (or lack thereof) are affecting him.

• Manage stress better.  I think I'm already on a good path here.  I am absolutely less stressed now than I was even a few months ago (yay!).  I know, however, that more stressful situations will arise, and I will need to be able to handle them without making myself (or the fiance!) crazy.

• Be more organized at home.  I'm super organized at work (FINALLY, after 7 years of teaching - ha!) but I just can't stay organized at home.  When I come home from work, I pick up the mail and throw it on the counter, not to be seen again until weeks later.  We still haven't gotten our second bedroom organized and we've been here over two months now.  I know it's a bigger place, but, um, it's still only 2 bedrooms!

• Clean more often.  I hate this one.  I totally despise cleaning, especially the bathroom.  I know this one sounds kinda silly, but I need it on here or I won't do it!

• Make music.  This is a tough one.  The last time I really did this was in high school - over 12 (really??!!) years ago.  I loved being in choir in high school and it brought about a kind of happiness that I haven't been able to find in other things.  I'm not sure how I'm going to accomplish this one, but it's definitely on the list.

• Dance.  See music (above).  It just makes me happy! :)

• Be more positive. Sometimes I can be a "negative nelly."  Nobody likes her!  Time to work on that. :)

• Be on time.  I'm the late friend.  You know that person - the one you always tell to be there 30 minutes earlier than everyone else, knowing they'll be 30 minutes late.  Yup, that's me!  Time to change that - I hate it and it's actually a big cause of stress for me.

• Be more patient.  I am incredibly impatient (which seems odd since I'm always late, huh?).  I've definitely never been one to live by the phrase, "patience is a virtue."  I mean, it's just not in my genes - my mom loves to remind me that I used to scream as a baby in between bites when she was feeding me.  She just couldn't get that little spoon into my mouth quick enough.  jeesh!

• Just do it.  No, I don't need to buy Nike products (although they could come in handy for my first goal!).  One of the main reasons I started this blog was because I had so many things I wanted to do, but I just have never done them.  Time to start!

So that's it, for now.  I don't consider this a final list, and it will always be evolving.  Hopefully I can get moving on a few of these goals and replace them with new ones!  We'll see... Having this blog, though, will be a way for me to stay motivated, be accountable, and chart my progress.  If I know someone is keeping an eye on me (which right now will just be the fiance unless someone randomly happens upon this site!), I am much more motivated.

Speaking of the blog - back to the name.  Yesterday I turned 30 (remember? ick.).  Rather than feeling "ick," though, I decided I needed to DO something about the things in my life that weren't going so well.  This is my journey to finding the BALANCE I have always been striving for.

Hence, 'get the balance rolling' was born.

-jill