Checking In - New Years Intentions

There's always a lot of hope and hype with the start of the new year - we're excited, we vow to have the best year ever... and then we go back to work, reality sets in. We're dealing with the same nonsense, the same crazy schedules and it's still winter. For awhile.  It's dark and cold.  Given all this, it's so easy to forget about the excitement and the new years intentions/resolutions.  So, I thought this was a good time to check in on my own list of intentions... you know, in the dead of winter when summer seems so far away.  Sigh.

If you recall from my post, It's a Whole New Year, these were my intentions:

1. Continue to experiment with vegan eating.  I am by no means totally vegan, but I am trying to keep my animal product intake down.

Update:  I've been doing good!  And I've tried some new recipes, some of which I've shared here on the blog.  I had significantly cut down on my animal product intake, but I am not looking to cut it out completely.  A little animal fat is actually good for you!

2. When I do eat meat, it will only be wild and/or organic.  I have no intention of eating factory farmed meat or fish.  I love seafood and a good steak, so I am not giving them up completely, but I really want to be thoughtful about where it is coming from.

Update:  This hasn't been perfect, but close!  I struggle mostly with eating out, of course.  While I do ask restaurants where they get their meat from, sometimes it's just a random supplier, and really, what does that tell me?  So, I try to go to better quality restaurants and make thoughtful selections.  Again, not perfect, but that's not what I'm striving for.

3. Buy more organic fruits and veggies.  I'm doing a post soon on pesticides in our regular fruits and veggies, that will hopefully help you when making your purchases.  That being said, consuming any fruits and veggies is better than nothing.

Update:  Again, pretty good here!  I make the best choices I can at the time.  I love to shop at Whole Foods where they have more organic options, but I can't always get there.  At the end of the day, eating fruits and veggies is the most important thing - I can't obsess of it being organic or I'd miss out on great nutrients.  And if you missed my post on the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen, check them out.

4. Live a little harder... or more passionately, however you want to see it.  Just do more, see more, cook more, laugh more and love more.

Update:  This has probably been the hardest for me.  Mostly because it's a little undefined, but also because it takes a little more subconscious thought.   I think my intent of this goal was to force myself to come out of my shell a little bit.  Not that I'm a shy person, but we all fall into habits.  I want to shake those up a bit.  I need to make time to cook more and try new things - it's hard to do when I work like a dog Monday - Friday.  Ok, officially going to work on this one more!  Hopefully in a few months I'll have some good examples of "living harder" (in a good way, not a dangerous way!)

I've long lost the desire to be perfect.  Perfect is boring.  Having imperfections makes us interesting, gives us character and that's way more fun than being "perfect".

Good luck with your own progress!  I hope you feel good and eat real food for the rest of 2104!

Love, Lizzie