
Happy (almost) New Year's Eve! 2024 has felt like a long but good year! Some goals I am proud of include running this blog for a year, going back to school, working on research, addressing my health and mental health, and starting an internship. As we end 2024 (I can't believe it!) I want to share four of my New Year's resolutions.
I want to find a consistent gym routine that focuses on strengthening my legs, building my core, and improving my arm strength.
I struggle to maintain a gym routine for a few reasons. I like walking and playing Pokemon Go, so sometimes I would rather do that. I also have a lot of anxiety around getting sick, so sometimes I will boycott the gym for a few months around peak season for covid and the flu because I do not want to catch anything. I also seem to not get sick often from the cold or flu, but I am a covid magnet. Lastly, I struggle to maintain a routine with school because all of my homework feels extremely urgent and important. However, I do want to find a consistent gym routine because health is important, and my disability is progressive.
I want to find a consistent flow with how I manage my gut health vs eating the food I want to eat.
I am doing a program with supplements to address my gut health, as people with autism are more likely to have gut issues (NIH, 2023). I want to find a balance between making healthier choices within the program while also not being too extreme and cutting out all of the food I like. Finding moderation is hard for me, as I either go all in or burn out and quit. I will likely be doing this for a while, so I will have time to find what works for me as much as I wish I could just quit.
Add more to the blog- spend time on my hobby
I have had some ideas while I have had this blog that would be larger-scale projects. While I am not sure what my time would look like to complete these projects, I would like to work on them. This blog has been an excellent outlet for me to practice my writing and share my story, and I want to continue to do that. By focusing on the blog, I can also focus on a hobby, which is very important for my mental health. Thank you all for reading; it is very cool to have a platform like this.
I want to address how I deal with stress
I have a lot of anxiety, and I have felt pretty hopeless in dealing with it. For a long time, I just said I was diagnosed with anxiety, so I cannot change anything. Stress is starting to affect my health, so I want to find small things I can do that are fast and free that can help me address my stress levels. Within the past week, I have been pausing to breathe deeply, and it might be helping, but I still feel stressed a lot, so it is not a cure. It is very hard for me to stick to a plan if I have school instead, so I need to address that.
Thank you for reading about New Year's resolutions. If you have any questions or comments, please comment on the blog, reach out at @Anniekrollblog on Instagram or Facebook, or email me at Anniekrollblog@gmail.com.
Lately I avoid ny resolutions because often I’ve made them too big and broad only to watch me fail. I like that yours seem doable as you are just trying to do better and be more aware.
Happy New Year to you and Grant! So happy for you that your blog baby is 1 yr old!