BlogHer Writing Lab Wednesday - Tradition of New Year Resolutions

"Why do you think we have the tradition of trying to change ourselves at the start of the year?"

In ancient times, they would make resolutions or promises to Gods in hopes of receiving a good year.  That still resonates in today's society.  I think that our nature is to stay safe but to grow we all know that it is about CHANGE.

What better way to instigate change than to ring it in with a new year!  It's like a fresh start and we can forget the past and learn to live in the present with resolutions for a healthy and successful lifestyle in the new year.  

One of my biggest new year's resolutions is all about FITNESS for 2016.  I want to lose weight, be healthy and fit.  That is a tough call and much harder now that I'm over 40 years old.  But since I am motivated I have already found a New Year's fitness center that will open in the neighbourhood.  

I live near Metrotown and Good Life Fitness is opening Sovereign on January 13, 2016.  It's going to be a 24/7 gym so there will be no excuses and with my premium membership it includes access to all locations and being able to bring a guest anytime all for around $56/ month.  

I'm looking forward to losing weight as my new year's resolution so I can be fit and healthier and have the confidence to do.  Wish me luck!  

BlogHer Writing Lab Wednesday - Do you like SNOW?

Now that November NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) is over BlogHer has started a BlogHer Writing Lab which I think is WONDERFUL!  

November gave me motivation participating in #NaBloPoMo until I fell sick with the flu.  Recovery has slow and sluggish but after two weeks I'm feeling better and getting back into blogging.  That's when I discovered the Blogher Writing Lab that has daily writing prompts for each month (http://www.blogher.com/blogher-writing-lab-december-2015-prompts).  Such great news!  Now I can have Writing Lab Wednesdays!  

"Do you like snow or do you dread when it starts falling? If you don't have snow in your area, what weather do you love or dread?"

I grew up in a small town in northern B.C. with a mountain as the backdrop and snowfall every year.  With my childhood tradition of shoveling snow and climbing on the snowhills in the backyard, it's not a surprise that my answer to the question undoubtedly is "I LOVE SNOW."  


As an adult I now live in Vancouver (also known as Raincouver) so local snowfall doesn't happen often.  Snow now means that I may potentially have a snow day (= no work day).  I love the white fluffy snowflakes that fall gently from the sky.  I love snow so much that I will go to places like Whistler, BC so I can enjoy a winter wonderland and the snowy landscapes.  

Whistler Winter Wonderland

National Blog Posting Month - Blogher NaBloPoMo November 2015

Hello Vancity Girlfriends,

This weekend October ends and we will fall back in time and start fresh with the month of November.  Last year I wrote about NaNoWriMo which is National Novel Writing Month:  http://vancitygirlfriends.blogspot.ca/2014/10/vancouver-events-national-novel-writing.html  I started but never finished my novella.  It was a fun challenge and I always start with high hopes and motivation.  Writing a novel in 30 days is a huge commitment even though in the beginning it seems easy.  As the days continue, it becomes harder and especially if you get behind, the number of words that you need to complete the mission adds up and starts to be unrealistic.  It is at that time that it's easy to lose hope.  

This year I'm a realist and found NaBloPoMo which is National Blog Posting Month.  Blog posts can be as short or long as you want them to be but it is best to write at least 100 words per post.  BlogHer has a NoBloPoMo on a monthly basis and so I joined the November 2015 Blogroll, signing up for this makes it real.  BlogHer also provides a badge that you can post on your blog to show that you are participating in NaBloPoMo and they also provide daily prompts to help you with your posts if you get the dreaded writer block.  All in all I am pretty excited that I discovered NaBloPoMo and it will give me a reason to make a bright post on a dreary winter's day.  Come join me and write your heart out on a month long blog writing adventure!   

Find everything you need here:  http://www.blogher.com/blogher-topics/blogging-social-media/nablopomo