Day 1 - So, how do I start this thing?

 So, I guess it makes sense to start at the beginning. What the heck is this all about? Body, Mind, Spirit 365 - huh?

Well, in a nutshell, the idea started with my friend Joe, a comedian and writer who about 300 days ago started a project to write a skit every day for 365 days. Wow. Seriously? Every day? And you know what? So far he has delivered every single day.

Then there was my husband. He's always been interested in photography - and recently he has gotten quite serious about it, but about 6 weeks ago, he started a photography 365 project. These aren't just random snapshots of the kids, the cat or the garden. They are seriously well thought out projects that stretch him every single day.

So, this started me thinking...could I commit to taking on something every single day for a full year and actually follow through? Was there anything that was that important to me? My first thought was exercise! Yes! It would give me an excuse to have to get off the couch and move - every single day. But then I thought about it....really? Is that where my passion lies enough to commit to it every day? How fast would I skin my knees from falling off that particular wagon? Was this just one more way to put more demands on myself? Don't get me wrong - exercise is important, and I'm kind of a freak in that I actually enjoy it when I can get it in, but to commit to it 7 days a week/365 - well, that just screamed of a failure waiting to happen.

So - I thought and thought and thought....while I worked from o'dark thirty in the morning to barely making it home for dinner time many nights. As I raced from work to boy scouts to the grocery store to karate class, to the airport, to clean the house and do the laundry and pay the bills and....ok, well, you get the idea. Somewhere in all this madness were the pieces of me that well....were over there in the corner with my dusty running shoes, my quiet moments to gather my thoughts, my creative moments, my spiritual life and my joy in just being. With the boys, with my husband....with myself.

Therein came the genesis for this project. What if I just made a simple commitment every single day to care for myself in some way - big or small - in body, mind, spirit. What if I actually took a lunch at work and put on my tennies and went for a walk? What if I actually took 10 minutes of quiet time in the morning  or after the boys went to bed and sat outside by myself in prayer/meditation/peace? What if I made sure all my medical appointments were made and kept to make sure I am healthy? What if I actually went and got a pedicure instead of the 10 minute quickie job I do myself to just get by?

The idea isn't to put more pressure on myself - but it is to make myself accountable. To me. Many, many years ago I was a theatre major in college. There is something one of my professors said to me that has been resonating with me ever since I thought about doing this - It's not an exact quote, but close enough.  "Don't be a spear carrier in your own opera." I like that. 

So...1 solid year. Every day? I honestly don't know....but, I'm willing to jump on and see where the ride takes me. So for now,  just 1 day at a time. And then, well...let's see.