I don’t set New Year’s resolutions anymore. They’ve never lasted much past March for me. Around this time last year a wise friend of mine asked me to pick one word that radiated the essence of what I wanted my year to be.
In 2014 my word was BALANCE. It was about finding that happy medium between work and home life. On reflection, I didn’t do too bad with that. I do feel like I have much more balance than I had at this time last year. For 2015 I’ve chosen FOCUS. I want to zoom in on the things that are important to me in my work, my family, my life. To do more of what I love doing and less of what I don’t.
I find that picking a WORD has more meaning for me than a resolution. I come back to the word every so often throughout the year and it reminds me where I’m headed.
I’m also going to pick a food word for 2015. One word that sums up what I want to offer, savour and enjoy about the food I prepare for my family. A word that reflects the value that I place on it. My food word for 2015 is NEW. I want my family to experience new foods, new recipes, new aromas, new tastes. After all, a child’s food experience is limited only by what they are exposed to. Kids’ food range is only as wide as their parents and carers and even a dietitian can get stuck in the rut of same old, same old. My 7 year old certainly does too.
Your food word needs only to make sense to you. It could be FRESH or GARDEN or DINNER. It might mean your goal is to buy one new fresh vegetable at your weekly shop, or pick more edible produce from your garden, or focus on one more family dinner at the table than you’ve been able to manage. And the best thing about a single word is that what it means to you can and will change throughout the year if you reflect on it regularly.
What will your food word for 2015 be?
Eat happy!
Deb Blakley
Accredited Practising Dietitian & Director
