NST: January 2021 – the Turtles do the Jitterbug

apple_muncher · 28 December 2020 at 4:45PM

NST: January 2021 – the Turtles do the Jitterbug

A new year often means committing to New Year’s Resolutions. With Capital Letters as they are considered So Important to the start of a new year. Piffle, stuff and nonsense! We have no idea what 2021 will bring us, but we get to choose how to react: with the jitters or the jitterbug.

Back in June/July, there was talk about ‘life after lockdown’ and ‘the new normal’. Well, we got to the end of the year without realising either of those, and with no obvious end in sight. Then the pesky mutation mutated. Tier 4 was introduced. And Brexit talks continued. Aie caramba!!!!

So 2021 is upon us and, more than ever, we need personal control of what we can control: Health, Wealth and a Life well-lived. For January, you can run and hide; or be your very own all-singing, all-dancing cape-wearing action hero. Gotta love a cape…! And we all have the masks already… And several of us already have the lycra and pompoms from cheerleading some months… Wearing your pants outside your trousers is optional….

Janus was the god of beginnings and transitions in Roman mythology, and presided over passages, doors, gates and endings, as well as in transitional periods such as from war to peace. He was usually depicted as having two faces looking opposite ways –back to what had been as well as forwards to what was yet to come. That is what we tend to do at the end of one year as it leads to the next. We ponder and reflect, as well as look forward and make plans (see a couple of posts below for a recap of mothernerd's excellent ideas on this). We made it through 2020, but then there’s 2021. Does it make you feel jittery and nervous? Or excited about the possibilities and feeling like doing the jitterbug? Have you seen the jitterbug? It is a joyous, lively, exuberant expression of life!

Ideas. Be creative with what you have. Dress style. Food combinations. Make presents. Write poems/ a book/ letters. Paint. Sew. Keep in touch. Make music. Garden. Wield a hammer.

Thriftiness is a good thing. Do you need/use/love everything you own? Can it be repurposed/given/sold/donated to someone else? What? You have plans to buy something in the sales??? Well, only if you truly need it, will love it, had already planned for it, have saved the money already and have shopped around for the best price.

Time with those you love (you can’t do this once they’re gone. Make the most of them now). Also, tread lightly on our planet – get out there and enjoy fresh air every day: breathe it in slowly and deeply and energise your body.

Extras. You need to incorporate 3 proper exercise sessions a week. These are to get the heart rate up. The cleaning or ironing doesn't count unless it is super vigorous.... It has to be 20 minutes minimum as well - MAKE IT COUNT! It’s not about what you can’t do, but finding a way around your limitations. This month, make every effort to use your everyday routine to add an "extra" session of fitness wherever you can - in every way possible add little extras to your day and don't look for the 'easy" option all the time.

Re-visit your budgets for the month. You do have a budget, don’t you? Look at the month-to-month outgoings (food, travel, clothes, DIY, fun, toiletries, activities…) and also the annual ones that are due this month. Can you shop around for better deals? This month we are going for 15 NSDs.

Be yourself. What do you need to be yourself? What makes you happy? What do you want more of? And less of? Take a look at your own needs and look after yourself first. Eat well. Move enough. Get the sleep your body needs.

Unburden yourself. Of regrets. Of toxicity. Of unloved items. Of negativity. Replace with joy and fun. Identify your stress buttons and find ways to switch them off. People? Circumstances? Things that do/don’t happen? Choose not to be drained by external factors.

Gratitude. Let’s start the day with it and end the day with it. Generosity. Let’s share what we have.

Let’s go for a 2021 of turtle Health, Wealth and a Life Well-lived. Stay strong and true to yourself one day at a time, no matter what happens, no matter what anyone else says, no matter how they act. Everything ends at some point. Good times AND bad. So persevere through the hard times knowing they will be over and you will get through them, and be present to enjoy the good times with as much gratitude as possible. Control what you can (your behaviours and thoughts), cope with what you can't (the behaviours of others), command your morning, conquer the chaos, and concentrate on what counts. Never give up on what is right for YOU. (I’ve used this before – I just love it, so here it is again!)

Who is with me for a month of January Jitterbugging?

apple_muncher · 28 December 2020 at 4:46PM

Reserved for jitterbuggers:

1 apple_muncher

2 Toni'sfriend

3 f0xh0les

4 DawnW

5 greent

6 shabbychic12

7 Kerry_Woman

8 mothernerd

9 Buffythedebtslayer

10 stuck2020

11 allie23

12 ditty1234

13 misstara

14 facethemusic

15 sazzles01234

16 ldee2111

17 WelshKitty85

18 DrCarrie

19 Lauralozzle

20 lcc86

21 Deni_debt_free_dreamer

22 grassgirl

23 abundant1972

24 crazy_cat_lady

25 DarknessIntoPower

26 calling14

27 Thrifty_Taylor

28 Shrewbie

29 Dottydaisy

30 IndiJonesi

31 hummingbird15

apple_muncher · 28 December 2020 at 4:46PM

Mothernerd's reflective ideas:

Questions to Reflect on the Year
What went well this year?
What did not go well?
What do I want to do the same next year?
What do I want to do differently?
When did I feel most alive?
When did I feel most exhausted and drained?
What did I say 'yes' to that I wish I'd said 'no' to?
What did I say 'no' to that I wished I'd said 'yes' to?

Year end Review
One word to describe the year
Best thing you did for someone else this year
Most embarrassing moment of the year
The time you laughed the hardest this year
Something you learned to do/ had never done before
Most newsworthy event (?!!?**)
Biggest lesson learned
Favourite place you visited (this may be a generic list)
Most memorable moment / day
Best advice you received this year
An achievement you are most proud of
Reminisce on one great compliment you received
What or whom are you most thankful for this year

Toni'sfriend · 28 December 2020 at 5:08PM

Me please, Apple. You are so clever. I wish I could think up a challenge.

f0xh0les · 28 December 2020 at 5:24PM

Me too please! You do know you have just invented a new game to play WHAMAGEDDON to? Not just for (last) Christmas, now we get The January Jitterbug! so we will all shine brighter than Doris Day. Count me in.