Aroha: New Year. New Air. New Me?

I know that what I'm about to say sounds so typical this time of year, but I'm going to say it anyways. I decided that this year I'm going to work on becoming a better me. That involves mentally progressing as well as physically. There was once a time when my good friends Jade and Jamie and I all used to go to the gym all of the time and I was getting into pretty great shape. Then I just stopped. That's what happens when you start dating someone I guess, it's all about nights in with pizza and beer, also known as a healthy lifestyle killer.

I'm paying for it now. I'm in probably the worst shape that I've ever been in my whole life. I'm not loving it. I'm actually hating it. I didn't want to lay out some complicated game plan for myself that I was never going to follow and then feel bad about it tomorrow when I eat some chocolate. So I'm taking a new approach, and I'm not going to lie, I'm terrified by it. I took "before" pictures yesterday afternoon. I have never done that before. I'm giving myself until my birthday and then I'm going to post my "after" pictures on here. Shit just got real. I'm telling the world online so that I'm held accountable. Oh geez....

I decided that a good place to start would be a nice hike with Ollie and Zachary on the 1st. It was fantastic, we actually made it all the way to Elephant Rock IN THE SNOW. Neither of us had ever realized that people still go outside in the winter? It's a new concept, but I'm liking it so far. One of the best things that we realized on the hike? Our lungs didn't hurt. We were above all of this crappy air that we've been inhaling for weeks now. Going out was easily the best decision I've made all year.