Resolution: Drink more water + rest

I’m ending the week of resolutions with the easiest one. Well, at least the easiest one to write about.

A few year ago, I decided I’d buy myself a fancy water cup and try to drink more water. This wasn’t the first time I’d committed to drinking more water, but it was the time it that finally stuck.

What worked best for me was doing it at very specific times whether I was thirsty or not. I’ll be honest and say I don’t get thirsty much. If I waited until I was thirsty, I’d never drink water. I’d just have lots of coffee in the morning and some Diet Pepsi with dinner.

But I don’t want to be that person. I want to drink water, because I know if makes my skin and face look better. I want to drink water, because I know it helps my insides work better. I want to drink water, because I enjoy going to the restroom every 45 minutes.

Here’s my water routine:
1. In the morning FIRST THING, I chug a large cup of water. If I do anything else, I will not drink my water, so I get up, use the restroom, come downstairs, and drink 30 ounces of water. I don’t look at my phone, I don’t talk to anyone, I just drink water. (When I was driving to school every day, I’d chug the cup of water on the drive in.)
2. As I get ready for the day, I fill the cup again. Between now (6 AM) and the end of my work day (3 PM), I have to drink that cup of water. If I get distracted or drink pop instead, I’ll drink it on the way home.
3. When I get home, I fill it again. By bedtime I need to empty it one last time.

So by the end of the day, I’ve had about 90 oz. of water. Even if I miss some of that, that’s still a lot of water. Some days, especially on the weekends where I’m less routine, I’ll drink two cups instead of three. I try not to leave too much to the end of the day because getting up in the middle of the night to pee is the worst.

Those bags you get under your eyes? I get those less (even when I’m lacking sleep) if I’m drinking enough water. Those wrinkles around your eyes when you smile? They get less noticeable when I drink water.

Is my water habit totally vain? Maybe. But drinking more water in 2019 is an easy resolution to make. If you’ve made tons of goals, and you already feel yourself slipping, commit to the water one, it will make you feel successful without too much hard work.

Here’s the one that is hardest for me: Rest.

My brain doesn’t stop and if I don’t do something about all the ideas and thoughts I have swirling around my head, it makes me feel crazy.

But what also makes me feel crazy is not resting.

About five years ago, we started treating Sundays as our day of rest, and it changed our attitudes and our week. It was slow and quiet and what our busy lives needed. Last year, our church dropped the Saturday services we were in love with in exchange for one Sunday evening service. At first, it was annoying, but we transitioned to Sunday evenings pretty easily and still use Sundays for rest until it’s time to leave at 4:00. Chris uses it to sleep in, his one day he doesn’t have to get up to an alarm. I use it to sit on the couch with a books and dogs and coffee. The girls use it to play and argue with each other.

I have to make a conscious effort to not get off the couch on Sunday morning. That’s weird to type, but sitting still is not my favorite past time. It goes against my nature to stay on the couch Sunday mornings.

I’ve also learned I can’t just rest on Sunday mornings. It’s not enough for me; I get grouchy, snippy, and overwhelmed when I’m only resting for a few hours once a week. So for me, rest looks like getting into bed early a few nights a week. If I need sleep, I’ll find it fast. If I need quiet time, I’ll read a book. If I need conversation, I’ll talk with Chris.

I look at my calendar for the week, figure out what nights we don’t have to be anywhere, and actively anticipate those early-to-bed nights.

This is part introversion and part good rest practice.

I learned through my late twenties and early thirties that running all the time, working all the time, creating and caring for others all the time, made me hate my life. I was keeping all these balls in the air and why? I wasn’t enjoying any of it.

So I stopped.

Yes, I still have to do things I don’t like to do (hello, adulthood). Yes, I still have to work and care for others and wash dishes, but I don’t have to do it all non-stop. I can schedule rest on my calendar just like I schedule meetings and therapy.

It’s just as important as anything else on my agenda, so I make it a priority. I commit to rest then I don’t skip it.

And if you want to drink water while you rest, you’re going to win 2019. I GUARANTEE IT.

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