On Leave

Today marks Day 1 on maternity leave. I've thought about this day for almost 9 months now. I've daydreamed about what Maddie and I would do with my time off before and with the baby, but now that it's here, I feel a bit lost. Maybe it's because I had planned on working for several more weeks, maybe I truly don't feel I was in a position to take the time off, there seemed to be so much more that needed to be done. But maybe I should accept it as a blessing and enjoy the time I have.
As I began preparing lunch for my girl I realized I'd love to do more home cooking while I'm off. It was then that I wondered if I should sit down and think of some goals, some ideas of what I'd like to do so that I feel as if I really took advantage of this time rather than just spinning my wheels with no direction.
But then again, what if I set goals and don't reach them? What if I need to go back to work before my 16 weeks are up? What if I simply can't do what I set out to do? So is life, isn't it? I guess living my life in fear of never meeting goals is no way to live. It's more productive to set a goal, move toward, and tweak it if need be. I mean, ok so what if I don't run a marathon this year or bake a homemade pie? I'm sure I'll have experienced something just simply trying to reach those goals.
So, let's set goals...let's do it and then put a plan in place to make it happen.
1. I'd like to get back into running. Within three to four weeks after the baby's here I'd like to start back up into a workout routine. Now, I do have some postpartum exercises that my midwife gave me back with Maddie and it begins with some breathing exercises after week one to begin strengthening up the stomach muscles. The only real obstacle I see here involve sleep. It's kind of hard to get back into a workout routine when you're exhausted so my next goal will be....
2. Sleep. I suffered from a bit of insomnia when I had Maddie. I was so worried I'd suffer from PPD that I spent all my time moving and going and in the end my anxiety went through the roof and I couldn't sleep. So, this time around, I'll definitely get up, get dressed, and start my day but I'll also pay close attention to when I'm feeling drained and I'll take all the opportunities to rest and recharge.
3. Organizing the house. I'd love to declutter and clean up a large portion of the stuff we simply don't need and don't use. I think I'll use the FlyLady's approach with this: set a timer and work on a project for that allotted time, remembering to not create more of a mess by creating another project while cleaning. You work on one area then you move on while keeping the idea that by cleaning up daily, you keep the clutter down and the projects small.
4. Homemade cooking. Now, this goal involves a bit more than simply cooking, it also involves nutrition, something I desperately need to work on. I'm gonna use my time off to really explore the idea of clean eating as well as reducing my consumption of red meat, dairy products, and processed foods. I may even look into weightwatchers but this idea is still up in the air.
Alright, so those are 4 broad goals I'd like to address over the next few months. Any advice or direction you can offer would be greatly appreciated. I'll be going back and really delving into each idea to really lay out a plan to make it happen.
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