I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Where did 2022 go? It seems like a blur. Such adjectives as stressful, productive, strenuous, and grueling come to mind when I think of the year. I think few out there can use peaceful, sublime, tranquil, or pleasant to describe their 2022. If its one thing I learned towards the end of the year, balance is key.
Towards the beginning of the fall, I took part in a “healthy you” screening. I learned that I had not been living a very healthy life. In the past few months, I’ve attempted to reset my mind, as well as my body. Some of the helpful tools I learned were quite simple.
First, getting enough sleep. I was only sleeping about 5-6 hours a night on the regular. I was groggy, tired, irritable, and had low energy. I’ve now made it a mission to get to bed earlier, instead of staying up late some nights doing useless things. I’ve seen a huge difference in my mood and energy level since getting more sleep.
Second, our bodies need good nutrients to stay moving. I have a bad habit with soda. Not getting enough sleep led me to drink Coke during the day. The caffeine made me feel good and keep me alert. Couple that with eating fast food and garbage all day does not allow your body to be strong and stay moving. I’ve since elected to refrain from drinking soda. I also make it a mission to pack my lunch every day instead of buying junk. This has helped with portion control, as well as giving my body what it needs, whole foods packed with nutrients.
Third, the gym. I hadn’t been in a gym in over two years. I was always very active and used to love working out! But as we all know, life happens. My priorities changed and I chose other things over my own health and wellness. My wife bought me a membership at a local gym. It took me a month to finally work up the courage to return. It’s a fact that working out releases your bodies natural endorphins, making you feel good. I’ve set a weekly schedule to go to the gym three times a week at 5:30am. By regulating my workouts, I am naturally releasing these feel-good hormones. I have also set small goals for myself and changed up my routines to keep things fresh!
Lastly, my wife and I have adopted a “no phone zone”. Who here has caught themselves aimlessly scouring Facebook or Instagram for minutes or even hours? Maybe others watch YouTube or other Apps. Whatever your content may be, it’s stopping you from truly connecting. When your head isn’t in your phone all the time, you start to notice things you just didn’t see before.
There are many things to look forward to in the New Year. We have a few new stewards and Union officials that will be taking positions locally. I’d like the thank them and welcome them aboard. Their information, headshots, and bios will be available for viewing on the Branch website. Along with the new officials, the branch has many objectives to reach this year. One main objective is bringing a plan to the Branch to invest some of the funds we’ve been accumulating over the last three years. A comprehensive plan will be brought forward at the February Branch meeting. This plan will need to be voted on by the members of Branch 274 before it is implemented.
Another objective is to get members together outside of work. One task of our new, leaner executive boards job going forward will be to schedule pleasurable social gatherings. A few ideas that have been floated around are a night at a Phantoms game or Iron Pigs game. Please look for more information in the months ahead on the Branch website.
Lastly, I believe the Branch can give back to our local community. As letter carriers, I believe we serve our communities and are proud servants and pillars that make them strong. In January, the executive board will establish a roadmap for 2023. This roadmap will constitute an agenda for social gatherings, fundraisers, volunteer work, and other activities to engage our members and the community, together.
It has been a pleasure serving the members of Branch 274 and I look forward to the end of 2022 and the year ahead!
Comments