Change #23: Applied for a postion as parent governor at my daughter's school

This idea came again from my good friend Ruby, and I have also heeded advice from my good friend Selwyn should I make it past the nominated and seconded position. He has warned me to only accept places on committees I feel passionate about, or I'll be snowed under. Bearing in mind changes # 8 & 13, I will do my best. So my little girl, although she is as tall as me, changed school this year, and I have offered to be a part of QEGS for the next 4 years. I have already started one of their evening classes, so I'm sneaking in! Also my lovely friend Naomi siad that schools needed good governors like me, which was rather great to hear, and made me smile. So what do school governors do? My understanding is they help in all sorts of areas including standards, staffing, property, finances and curriculum balance. I've thought about it before, but never offered. The nominations all have to be in by the end of the week. I'll keep you posted.
I'm a bit out of sync with the dates of these blogs and I have actually reached the end of my month, without posting every day. The changes have still happened so I'll carry on until you have had all of them. Some things I have begun to edit out, some things are here to stay for the foreseeable future. Remember, the only constant is change.

1. No alcohol – I've had a whole month with no alcohol, apart from my lovely anniversary bottle. Since I have reintroduced alcohol I have had a couple of glasses of wine, and one delicious Metaxa 7 star brandy. The difference was the way I savoured and drank them, but interestingly, I still went through a bowl of mindless crisps with the wine! So when I enjoyed my brandy last night, I drank it mindfully and had no mindless eating with it.
2. Mindful eating – See above for my lapse. I think I maybe becoming a little evangelical about this, so will try not to here. I feel so much more connected to my food and am enjoying both the preparing and eating of it. I am still half a stone lighter too.
3. Daily body scan – I have gone back to the full body scan, but am not doing it every day. This needs more work
4. Charity shop shopping – even this needs to be mindful. Want less, suffer less is one of my new mottoes.
5. Mindful breathing every hour – This is more powerful than I believed. I knew it in my head, but not in my being. Now I know, I need to maintain.
6. Remembering my friends – Feel much more connected and therefore recognise how supported I am in my place in the world. It is very compassionate for me.
7. Smiling regularly – have been sharing smile making clips from youtube with Willow. laughing is a very sociable experience.
8. Help if and when I can – I have been helping and acknowledging to myself how much I enjoy it, rather than resenting it. This is also helping me not to feel guilty when I cannot.
9. Italian conversation class – Had two classes now and am absolutely loving it. Was really tired after work last night and was tempted not to go. Went anyway. The website link is recommended by my tutor.
10. Becoming a blogger – lapsed a bit this week with long distance work commitments, but still going.
11. Writing 10 mins daily – All my writing this week has been either this or work related. Needs attention.
12. Drinking a glass of water every hour – Difficult with long journeys, but took a 2 litre bottle with me and had consistent drinks along the way. Needed loo stops tho'!
13. Thinking about it, before I say yes or no – Am doing this mostly. Sometimes I need to think VERY quickly!
14. Having my eyes tested – still have not really got used to my new reading specs. May have to have them checked. 
15. Walking in the fresh air every day – There is a serious resistance to this that I need to work out. It just isn't happening.
16. Pilates core exercise throughout day – This is good.
17. Listening to my needs – My wishing to be compassionate to others is blocking my hearing at times. Found a lovely quote (or maybe it found me) from Lao Tzu: The quieter you become, the more you hear.
18. Mindful spending – Have found some wonderful things I would like to buy and give as gifts, but I have saved my basket and am going to revisit it before I press send!
19. Neck exercises – Doing these but 4-5 hours in the car for three days this week are not helping.
20. Accepting compliments – have had several this week and have mostly said 'Thank you'. Find it easier to accept compliments about my nature/doing stuff, than about my physical self.
21. Really saying thank you to people – have discovered there are people I really don't want to thank, no matter what they do. Might force myself next week.
22. Mindful speaking – am trying. Also see my Lao Tzu quote above.