At the start of every new year, I like to choose a word to focus on and guide my actions for the next 12 months. This year, my word is "energy."
I decided on "energy" because - honestly - last year, I didn't have much.
Being autistic and trying to function in a neurotypical world is tiring. But, on top of that, I completed the final year of my Master's in Education while working full-time. My days were full, so my evening priority was sleep (not exercise, socialising, and cooking healthy meals). My relative inactivity and poor eating habits meant I gained weight, and my energy levels reached an all-time low.
This year, I'm getting my energy back. Here are three positive steps I have taken to embody my word of the year:
1. I've hired a coach (whose values align with mine) to support me for the first three months of the year. She has helped me devise an exercise plan that suits my complex needs.
2. I've set up a meal-planning Kanban board in Obsidian and scheduled weekly planning and grocery shopping time slots in my calendar.
3. I've started using the MyFitnessPal app to track my health-related habits (not obsessively!) to allow me to take an evidence-based approach to my wellbeing.
This is just the start. I'm excited to see what comes next.
