Grocery Store Eavesdropping and 21 Days

So a couple of hours ago I was at the grocery store, listening to an audiobook while shopping (my new favorite thing! It’s so fun! I’m listening to Circe, by the way, and it’s aaaahhhhhhmazingggggg…). 

As I was staring at the shallots trying to remember if I usually include them in a potato-leek quiche, I overheard this hilarious conversation (added bonus to earbuds while shopping- people think you can’t hear them, but you totally caaaaaannnn!):

Woman 1: “Ugh. What are we even doing in the produce section? F*@% 2019, I’m just going to finish this year the way I started it- stuffing my face with whatever I feel like. F*@% vegetables.”

Woman 2: “I know! What are we doing here? F*@% 2019!”

And they promptly hauled ass out of there, headed for the bakery section, maybe?

Their entire interaction and the level of vitriol leveled at the poor unsuspecting vegetables just sitting there totally made my morning. 

But it also made me think. 

F*@% 2019???? 

Really? 

We have a full three weeks left! That’s 21 entire days!

I mean, I know it’s not an eternity or anything, but it seems like a solid chunk of time to just throw carelessly to the curb, right?

If I told someone I was going to France for 21 days, I would imagine that they would be just a tiny bit jealous that I got such a lovely long vacation. 

Or if I broke my leg and had to be in one of those contraptions like in the movies where your leg is all up in the air attached to some kind of weird pulley system for 3 weeks, I’ll bet it would feel like an eternity.

So why are we so quick to toss these last 3 weeks of the year out the door?

I know. These last three weeks are always a little nuts. They can feel busy and emotional and a bit overwhelming. 

The inclination to let any and all expectations drop and to deal with the pieces when the new year starts can be really, really tempting. No one loves procrastination like yours truly.

I get it.

I do. 

But what if we didn’t wait until January 1st to start laying the groundwork for whatever it is we want for the coming year?

What if we used these 3 weeks to begin easing our way into the habits we’re planning for ourselves?

Or systematically releasing whatever baggage we’ve accumulated over the last 49 weeks, making note of lessons learned and growth achieved?

If better self care is on your “to do better” list for 2020, there is no time like the middle of this hectic season to look for the small spaces where you might be able to squeeze in a little of what fills your tank, or the places a gentle and gracious “no” might leave you with the energy for the things that matter most to you. 

If fitness or healthy eating is part of your 2020 agenda, maybe now is the perfect time to start moving a little- go for a walk to look at lights (or people watch at the mall…exercise AND entertainment!) or focus on making sure you’re drinking enough water every day. 

If getting control of your finances is important to you in the coming year, you could use these next three weeks to do some research, organize your records from 2019 to get a sense of your spending, figure out what kind of program you want to implement. 

Never forget: January 1st is just a date on the calendar to help us organize our time. It holds no magical properties aside from whatever you choose to assign it. You can begin making changes in your life whenever  you’re ready. Every hour, every day is an opportunity for us to take a deep breath and begin again. 

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It’s been a wild year, from losing and gaining a dog to buying a chunk of land to learning that I have TEN older siblings that I had no idea existed. 

I’ve driven the 3,000 miles back and forth across the country four times on top of our January journey back to the lower 48 from Alaska, and I even got to spend an incredible week aboard a Coast Guard Arctic ice-breaking research vessel! 

My little brother and his partner had the world’s most beautiful baby a mere three weeks ago and I’ve just returned from Texas, where I sat for hours on end staring at his sweet face like a total psycho and whispering all the things I want for him into his tiny button ears. #obsessed