Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

I had some epiphanies while driving today during a snowstorm. You know, the exact time I should be soul searching... ;)

Reduce:
I realized today that no longer do I feel that I can lose 50 lbs but that, by dang, I am losing 50 lbs. No more "I can do it!", its now become, "I AM DOING IT!!" It brought tears to my eyes the level of commitment I feel, a level much higher than my brain has ever wrapped itself around before. This is it. It's actually happening. Yay me! :D

Reuse:
Chico bags, cloth diapers, cloth napkins, diva cups, less paper towels, using cloth kitchen linens, recycling, hand-me-down clothes, giving more, selling less, helping others, donating time, carpooling, clotheslines, gardening, buying locally (supporting "the little guy"), steering away from products that contain the word disposable in either their title, description or use, buying & driving more earth-responsible vehicles, earth-friendly cleaning supplies, eating less processed foods, purposefully using less water, energy & resources, teaching your children to live this way (!!!) -- these little things can add up to such empowerment to ones soul. If you haven't given any of the above any though, please try. The earth will not only love you for it but it does your heart & body good as well. I try really hard to live earth friendly and vow 2008 will only be better. It feels so good to give back. It feels so good to live responsibly. It feels so good to encircle yourself with others who feel and try to live the same way. We need more "feel goods" in this world.

Recycle:
In recent years, I've slowly realized I've become somewhat of a friend recycler. I truly don't know if that's a good or bad trait to harbor (I honestly secretly don't care, shhh). When something doesn't feel quite right, I hear or feel it and 9 times out of 10, I listen to my gut. The other 1 out of 10 times, I usually end up feeling like I wished I had. I shy/run away from friendships/people that just don't set right. It's not disagreements with others that make me feel this way - I'm a-ok not always agreeing with someone! It's not like "you do one thing that pisses me off & you're outta here!" type of thing at all. But you know that nagging feeling that someone is draining you, or truly doesn't appreciate you or the friendship feels so one-sided ... you know you've all known someone who gave you one of those feelings before! It's only through time, disappointment & personal experience that one learns that it's ok to have just a handful of solid & true friendships. True friendships are something to be cherished, not hoarded, and I simply don't have the time, energy or interest in collecting friends. Long term friendships are something you don't have to constantly question, analyze or ponder, you just know. Not everyone is going to like me (hard & true realization, isn't it?) but by that same token, it gives me permission to admit that I don't particularly like everyone either. I don't have to be friends with everyone I meet -- I'm allowed to selfishly pick & choose who encircles me (what an awesome gift to oneself!). Like a handy plastic water bottle, its ok to thank someone for the gift of temporary nourishment, then gently put them in the recycle bin so that someday someone else can enjoy them too...maybe in a slightly different or better (eeek, or worse?) form because knowing me changed them somehow. I can't save the world or everyone in it and its ok to sometimes give yourself permission & a gentle but firm reminder to stop trying. It's about quality, not quantity. Recycling is good for all.

We should all try to not only be earth friendly with the 3 R's but learn to be self-friendly too. If you don't love yourself, for the love of Pete, who will?! :P