Ok, I've been thinking of doing something like this and Derek inspired me today. Every year I make a theme for the year rather than individual resolutions. One year it was courage, one year it was balance. This year I think it's going to be awareness. Because of that, I developed something (in the shower just now) that I'm going to stick to. I encourage you to try it, you can either follow mine or start your own. It's "The Year Without" and each month I'm going to go without something that I either rely on, take for granted, or don't really need in my life. I want to see what it's like at the end of the month, how much I missed it (if at all). I think that if there is anything on this list a person can't go without for a month, they need to really think about what that means. Here's the list:
JANUARY: Pizza (or your number one junk food)
FEBRUARY: Restaurants (includes delivery, fast food etc.)
MARCH: Cigarettes (for those who don't smoke, try a month without alcohol or pot or whatever vice you have.)
APRIL: Meat
MAY: Shopping (with the exception of food and household necessetites. I literally spent three minutes deleting and retyping this one.)
JUNE: Television & Movies
JULY: Caffeine
AUGUST: Transportation (for distances of 4 miles and less...feel free to set your own distance! The only exception will be during work hours if necessary for time constraints.)
SEPTEMER: Wheat (bread and pasta etc.)
OCTOBER: Sugar (yep, Halloween month)
NOVEMBER: Facebook (no logging on for one month.)
DECEMBER: Help those without. Complete 5 activities that help people in need. (Donate money/clothes, volunteer, help an old lady across the street etc.)
The ONLY exception to the year without will be your birthday. You are always allowed to do anything you want on your birthday.
Please let me know by comment or email if you are planning to participate, I think it will be interesting to document this. There are a couple in there that I'm excited about, and a couple (I'm looking at you May and July) that I'm terrified of.
Off we go!
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7 comments:
the b-day rule...what? If you can't eat candy on halloween you shouldn't be allowed to have cake on your birthday (miss no wheat for Sept!)
I could do the November one right now. And continue it throughout the year. I despise "the Facebook" (as George Bush might say). I don't get it, don't enjoy it and get annoyed when I get an email saying that someone has "Written On My Wall" (wtf?) or "Poked Me."
I can't wait until Facebook goes the way of MySpace. And it will. Hopefully, to be replaced with people actually leaving their houses and making friends.
That said, this is a good idea. I may make a list of my own.
Happy New Year!
Ooh, I really like the concept. But I'm a little scared. No restaurants? No movies? Say what? I don't know if I'm ready. -Olivia
Wow, this sounds like quite a challenge! I will follow along with interest, but I don't know if I'm brave enough to try it myself!
Like I said. . . I'm giving up Youtube in January. Le sigh.
ok...question (actually, I have a lot of questions...bear with me, I like to have the rules clearly defined so I can appropriately gauge which are worth breaking ;)
Transportation: less than four miles? Are we speaking of transportation on four or more wheels? Do bikes count? Discuss.
I love this idea! It was amazing how many times my heart sank when I read this post...I am scared to do this, but I think I might try. It's like a year of lent.
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