And so it begins...

As a rule, I don't do New Year Resolutions, at least, not those that you start on Jan 1st and are long forgotten by Feb 1st. I do, however, take stock during the first part of January and think about things that I would like to happen over the course of the forthcoming year, as well as look back to things that I can remember/have had an impact on me from the year just gone. Last year a lot happened and there were a lot of changes in my life. And a few significant constants. And it's some of these constants that I've been thinking on.
I've been on medication for my anxiety disorder for the past year. Or 15 months to be precise. Yesterday it was halved & I started on the slow process of coming off it. Scary and yet exciting.
Scary. Yet exciting.
A phrase that I've muttered several times over the last week - more on that in a mo.
Three month ago I agreed this medication plan with my doctor. Since then I've been thinking about how to keep my brain quiet, healthy and happy sans tablets, and what I've done over the last 15 months that has really helped to encourage this ceribal behaviour. And the constant response was exercise. I started running and yoga last year. Unfortunately it was short lived as I had a problem with my sciatic nerve, which affected my hamstring, meaning I had to shelve my exercise regime for a few months. Meaning I had to start all over again from scratch. Something I was actually quiet excited by, as it meant a rethink of how I went about it.
Last month I heard (through the power of Twitter) about a new beginners' yoga course starting in Hove, so I contacted @lift_pt (who runs the course), found out all the necessary info, paid my fees & joined the course. A big first for me. The yoga I'd done before was YouTube based & only 15mins long per session. This was with other people & for an hour. Hello anxiety disorder triggers!! Definitely scary yet exciting! I had my first session last Monday & I loved it. It was a massive challenge of stamina for me as well as being in a new place with new people outside of my comfort zones. But the session focused on grounding and breathing, 2 of my favourite tings to focus on & it was a fab way to eease myself in to the whole thing.
Today was another scary yet exciting first for me. I joined a running club! It's a 0-5k course lasting 8 weeks (I missed week 1) so for my 1st run of the year I ran 5x6 minute intervals & covered 5k. I'm vefry chuffed with myself. I was at the back of the small pack all the way & moaned every time I had to run. And I loved every minute. This is definitely a good way to get me back running after the silly sciatic nerve lay off.
The photo is from this morning. 9am in Worthing. The end of the sunrise which spoke to me of hope & new beginnings. Kind of representing where I am now. Full of hope and new beginnings. And symbolic of this blog - a place for me to record a year that holds a lot of scary yet exciting opportunities, so I can look back this time next year & remember a whole lot more than I do now!