You want a Lamborghini? Sip martinis? Look hot in a bikini?

Yikes!  It's been almost 3 weeks since my last post.  Needless to say the holidays were busy with Christmas and our recent trip to Calgary/Banff for New Years.  The New Year is always a great time to reflect on all the great things from the past year.  I heard on the radio that yesterday was the most depressing day of the year, Blue Monday as they call it.  Credit card statements start to roll in from Christmas shopping binges, frigid weather strikes, holidays end and already failed New Years resolutions all boil to a head on what is considered the saddest day of the year.

For myself I plan on remembering all of the awesome things I accomplished in 2013 and the great things to come in 2014.  I had an awesome 30th birthday in Vegas, ran my first 5km, made it to the final event of the Spring Fling CrossFit competition in Regina, hung out in beautiful Big Sky, Montana this summer, fell back into writing and started getting articles published in local newspapers and magazines, added another fur-addition to our family and spent quality time with all my amazing friends making fantastic memories.

As for 2014 it's already shaping up to be another wonderful year.  I set some maintainable New Years resolutions and manageable goals.  I think where people start the new year on the wrong foot is with large, unattainable goals and then feel defeated if those goals aren't immediately met.  It takes time, work and a will to want more than you had yesterday.

You want to lose weight?  Do some research and find a diet that can be easily adapted into your lifestyle.  Weight loss doesn't happen over night and crash diets only make people gain weight back plus more.  You want to get into shape?  Find a fitness program that you can stick with.  Of course you're going to be sore if you've been a couch potato for the last 18 years.  Its a good sore though!  I remember when I first started doing CrossFit I asked someone when you stop getting sore.  They replied never.  They were right, I still get sore it just isn't as bad as it once was.  If I'm sore I know I've been working hard and that is the benefit of the effort I put in.

At work we read The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon.  I recommend it to everyone.  It will truly change your outlook on life.  One of the most important parts that stuck out at me was that you are the driver of your own bus.  You choose your own destiny.  You hate your job?  Then do something about it!  You are your own energy vampire sucking the life out of yourself by forcing yourself to do a job that doesn't make you happy.  A job has to be about more than just the money; a sense of pride and enjoyment makes a world of difference when you're doing something that you have to spend at least 30% of your day doing.  Make the most out of every aspect of your life, including your pay cheque.

Not only do you need to do a job that you enjoy, you need to surround yourself with people that you enjoy.
Everyone can think of at least one person they know that makes them cringe.  Why do we hang around these people?  Because we're polite and don't want to make waves?  Get rid of that infection before it drains your soul.  We can't please everyone, and not everyone can please us so be honest with yourself  and find the ones that will truly help you grow.

Not everything is going to fall into your lap.  The ambitious people have things for a reason, they wanted it so they made it happen.  You can't blame others for the mistakes you've made in life, the only thing you can do is learn from those mistakes and try not to make them again.  So instead of getting down on yourself on this proclaimed time of depression, think of how much worse it could be and how you're going to make the year to come that much better.  Cheers to to making 2014 a year of health, wealth and happiness - in whatever form that may be.