A Fresh Start

Last Sunday afternoon, Bill and I took Claire to meet her new teachers at NCS. I felt a lump in my throat as a read her class name, Pre-K Transition, realizing that if you drop "Pre" and "Transition", our baby will be in Kindergarten. Only 2 short years.

The classrooms looked so fresh, she had a new folder for new projects. New teachers, new (and some old) friends, new procedures...thus I thought it was a great opportunity for me to have some new-ness in my life.

A couple of weeks ago, I started working with a Wellness Coach. Her name is Janis and she is the sister of one of my co-workers. Janis is "coaching" me for free in order to finish some credits, so it was a perfect opportunity for me to jump at such an opportunity. Janis and I had been talking for a couple of weeks about some changes I wanted to make/implement. She never tells me what to do. She just has this uncanny way of drawing it out of me and then asks me how I am going to put that change into place and be successful.

In addition to Claire's new school year and my wellness coaching, Bill and I decided for me to take a break from Remicade. This is the drug that I have been on for 1 year, every 8 weeks for the diagnosis of Crohn's Disease that I received 18 months ago. Remicade had caused some scary side-effects since I have been on it. Nothing horrific, but just enough to scare this non-medicine taking girl! As I walked out of the doctor's office last Tuesday, there was a pep in my step. Although Remicade makes me feel better, I believe that as long as I was on the medicine, I would have a dark cloud over me reminding me that I had this disease.

If all of these changes hasn't been enough, I also started the task of couponing for our family. Yes, I was the cynical one, the critical one that despite hearing my friends testimonies of how much money they were saving, I believed my time was much more valuable than the money I would save at the check-out with coupons. However, it has become necessary, due largely to starting our own company 5 months ago, for me to save wherever I can. At this point in our lives, my time doesn't matter and this is one additional way I can help invest in our future!

All of these changes have sometimes felt overwhelming. Especially as I am sitting up alone late at night on the couponing websites as everyone else in the house sleeps. But, oh, how good it feels when I check-out and gradually increase my check-out savings (my best record is saving 54%). But changes are also empowering. They give you energy when they are accomplished.

What changes have you made or do you need to make in your life? I am still making a list and hope to update you soon!