new year, new trick

one of my new year's resolutions was to create a gif animation. check.

not really, my three actual resolutions are slightly more complicated. they involve three words: accept, laugh, and exercise.

accept that i have ms and that i'm going to have it forever (unless i get really lucky, which i need to accept is very unlikely). i know most of you think i've got it all under control in this area of my life. i put on a good front. and i'm not saying that i don't handle it pretty well overall. but it still eats at me constantly, even when i'm not physically feeling the disease. it has changed me for ever. mostly for the good, but sometimes for the not-so-good and it's those areas that i'm trying to throw out the back door. if i can better accept my situation for what it is, maybe i won't react so poorly so often. because in all honesty this disease will not get the best of me. i refuse to let it.

laugh at myself. make others laugh, too. i think i used to be pretty funny. (my family will disagree here, they've always made a big to-do when i make a joke they actually find funny. "ooh, liz made a funny joke!" or "wow, liz, that was actually kind of funny." they are critics. and they are definitely funnier than i am.) but to the outside world with an average sense of humor, i was funny. i've become way too serious and way too grumpy. i'm going to let things go and laugh. and when steve grabs my bum i will try my hardest not to get mad ;) goal three comes in to play here...because if i have a firm bum i won't mind his grabbing it, right?

exercise. do i need to elaborate? i had a gym pass right after we got married. it was a two-year contract. i never went. not even once. (in my lame defense i had just been diagnosed with ms and was told i shouldn't exercise or let my body temperature rise. boo.) just like the rest of the world i go through phases where i'm great at getting in a workout (usually spring/summer) then the couch becomes my best friend. no more. i got another gym pass. and before you cringe, just know that i've already kicked my last gym pass's butt (not that it was hard). and i'm loving every second of it.

p.s. i was very strongly influence by this when setting my goals. although i chose three words, i'm mainly focusing on one: accept. it can/will have such an impact on my life and how i choose to handle it from here on out.

p.p.s. today i accepted that i have been living a pretty darn good life for THIRTY years. happy birthday to me!