After the long month of holidays followed by surgery for my husband and then my dog, it has been pretty stressful. On top of everything else, I had been searching for a new job. The job interviews and the anxiety of waiting to hear the response had pushed me to the edge of my stress limit. But I’m over the other side – I started my new job today.

I admit that I don’t handle stress very well. Once I stop keeping a food journal it was all down hill. I hit the bottom when I realized that I was making donuts. I don’t know how I thought being gluten-free donuts were somehow going to make it better. Vicious cycle now full circle.

I spent the day moving – emptying boxes, climbing up and down putting away items in a far too high overhead cabinet, and going between the old office and the new one. It’s a full ten minute walk each way which I made at least three times roundtrip. Now I need to keep that momentum up every day. I’ve enlisted a friend to walk with me. Now we need to keep each other on track.

I’m looking forward to finally having a job that provides me with intellectual stimulation without the undue stress that I’ve put up with for the last ten years. Having to work at a job that creates an unhealthy atmosphere and doing the least challenging tasks was a nightmare for me. Having a new boss that encourages his staff to continue to grow and get better and not just be a follower is a breath of fresh air. There are far too many bosses who are hung up on power and control. Doing things their way is more important than doing it the right way or even a better way.

It’s a new beginning for me. Less stress, more exercise, and healthy eating are my goals.