I don’t know what’s gotten in to me, but I’m on some kind of self-denial kick. First, we gave up shopping. Then, after 36 years of sleeping like a champ, I started waking up at night for no good reason, so I decided to give up coffee. Next, thanks to my rapidly slowing metabolism (and that 5+ freakin’ pounds I can’t shake), I decided to give up sugar and white flour for two weeks. To add to the madness, Carter and I decided this was a great week to get rid of our son’s pacifier (just in time for daddy to leave on a business trip!). Oh, and did I mention that I decided to stop drinking alcohol on “school” nights (the early mornings are killing me and I need better sleep)? We’re like Extreme Makeover–The Kersh Edition–and it ain’t pretty.
A depressing feeling of total deprivation is sinking in, so I’m trying to think of some positive habit I can take on to replace some of the vices I’m attemping to cast aside, but I’m coming up empty handed. Any recommendations of healthy, non-consumer driven, no-weight-gaining, non-crafty (because I’m not!) activities that a mother of two can plug in to her busy schedule? Send them on!
Enough is Enough 
More specific … nevermind
My favourite positive habit is letter writing — real, honest, made-of-paper-and-delivered-by-a-human letter writing. When I’m losing my grip on myself, I love to sit and go through my address book and reconnect to people who will never expect a letter from me. I’ll say to myself, “I have two hours that are just mine. I will write three letters today.”
It feels amazing — and it’s way cheaper than therapy.
You need a new book to read. Your book club should get on the stick then you (and I) could think about something other than dessert!
Neva
How about yoga? Might actually help you shake some of those extra pounds and just about guaranteed to help you relax, thusly sleep better at night.
Have a cup of tea – caffeinated earlier in the day, if you like, or herbal later. Pleasant, comforting, and no calories. Just don’t drink too much close to bedtime, or your sleeping woes will be compounded!
I also recommend music. If you download BBC Radio player onto your computer you can listen to hours of fantastic, horizon-broadening radio shows for free. Music, comedy, talk, drama, it’s all there. (I’m aware that it sounds like I must work for them, but I don’t. Just a fan.) Or it you don’t fancy that, just put in a CD you haven’t listened to in ages. It can work wonders for a blue mood.
Run….just get out and start running. Put in your favorite CD or burn some NPR podcasts that you never get to listen to and take 30 minutes to yourself to be outside and enjoy the fall.
journaling. keeping a simple notebook handy and jotting down, similar to writing the blog , but perhaps making a journal for your kids, or of your favorite things or memories . You can jot down things to do before you’re forty, favorite vacation memories, favorite recipes, quotes, etc.
How much fun to read your efforts at SimplicitY.
Sex would be healthy, non-consumer driven, no-weight-gaining & non necessarily crafty, but it’s hard to plug in your schedule…so maybe keep writing,(you are doing it already and it’s funny), play music that you never use to listen and dance (Zap MAMA, Rosario, CHi CHi) and sing/hum while doing whatever you need to do, but I think the easiest, quickest tip, it is to remind yourself for an instant of how lucky and blessed you, your family and friends are. For my part I am going to bookmark your page and read it sometimes.