NST January 2022: Janus

apple_muncher

NST January 2022: Janus

A new month. A new year. A fresh start. The turtle gang are together again for another month of money saving, thriftiness, making every penny do its job, recognising wants v needs, having fun and being grateful together. We swim against the tide of consumerism and find our own current. Preferably something like the EAC, dude. No turtle ever gets left behind and the gang is always open for new turtles.

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 2022 will bring us, but we get to choose how to react and live. 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 from cheerleading some months… Wearing your pants outside your trousers is optional….

Who was Janus? The god of gateways, doors, beginnings, endings, peace, war, transitions, duality. Images of him have him looking both backwards to what has been and forwards to what is to come. A perfect symbol for a new year.

 

Just be you. There is no need for you to fit in to the ‘norm’. Be your own normal. Just say ‘NO!’ to other peoples’ expectations. 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. 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.

Always set budgets and give yourself some guilt-free treat money. Avoid as many chain stores and coffee shops and corner shops (unless that stops you going wild in a big store) and online purchases as possible. Alert yourself to what triggers impulse buys, especially with the sales coming at us full force.

Never stop loving yourself. You are unique and uniquely gifted. NSDs = 16 please. Identify your needs v your wants. With rising prices and the cost of simply being alive shooting up, take stock of where your money goes and write down every single spend.

Use it up or pass it on. Are you giving space to anything that you find ugly, unloved or unloveable, unwanted, unused? Remove it somehow! 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.

Set targets both small and large. And look at them weekly and tweak them as necessary. Swim with us in our turtle gang. (there are various names for a group of turtles: a bale of turtles, a dole of turtles, and a nest of turtles. But I just like to be part of a gang [and I do like a lot of chocolate on my biscuit too…]) Step outside and get some fresh air every day.

As always, the naughty chaise longue is ready for those who need a sit down. It currently has twinkly lights on it.

Let me know if I have missed out anything important!

Who is with me?

apple_muncher

For those of us who like a bit of reflection, here are mothernerd’s ideas from December 2020’s challenge:

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

apple_muncher

The turtle gang for January:

1 apple_muncher

2 ditty1234

3 greent

4 Buffythedebtslayer

5 DrCarrie

6 lcc86

7 shabbychic12

8 betharooni

9 Kerry_Woman

10 mothernerd

11 BooksandBudgets

12 crazy_cat_lady

13 cuddlymarm

14 ldee111

15 leftatthetrafficlights

16 Deni_debt_free_dreamer

17 cybertortoise

18 Esmeralda2662

19 32b3in2013

20 abundant1972

21 Calling14

22 FamilyOfSix

23 beanielou

24 AngieMcKPz

42 f0xh0les - the meaning of everything

ditty1234

Hi apple can I please join. I hall have a very studious and lots of exercise based January, getting on with my new job, being a carer a d setting up my new laptop. Welcome to the future tahdah.

greent

Count me in, please xx

Buffythedebtslayer

I am properly signing up for this month's challenge. I am in debt again, to buy a car. I have borrowed 8000 to get a decent second hand car. It is scary to be in this position again but hey I need a car and I will get it paid off. 

This is the first month of a new year that I hope will see some progress in my life. I feel like I have a plan and although Covid will probably be a nightmare again at least the summer might be better? 

I should write more about the challenge but Mum is coming downstairs and needs my help XXX 

f0xh0les

We have a Piffle!  Oh I do love a good Piffle!

Can I have a big number please, surfing the EAC

DrCarrie

Hi Turtles...I am back in the game please @apple_muncher. 

Herre's to a very successful 2022, but who is the EAC dude please? 

Buffythedebtslayer

DrCarrie said:

Hi Turtles...I am back in the game please @apple_muncher. 

Herre's to a very successful 2022, but who is the EAC dude please? 

East Australian Current - It is what Marlin and Dory ride on to get to Sydney to find Nemo. They meet the Turtles on it and ride with them. The head turtle is the dude I think, tho he is called Crush. 

(Finding Nemo is my FAVOURITE Disney Film) 

DrCarrie

@Buffythedebtslayer ahhh, many thanks!

lcc86

Count me in please!