Realistic New Year’s Resolutions For a Busy Mom
A Mom’s Realistic New Year’s Resolutions
It’s that time of the year again. New year’s resolutions. Most years, when asked, I ramble off a general list of go-to BS resolutions that even as I’m saying out loud I know I won’t keep. Lose weight, eat healthier, be happier, help others, etc…. Last year was different. My sisters and I sat down together and wrote down actual goals/resolutions and how they were going to be accomplished. They were similar things but specific and detailed. Out of my list last year I managed to accomplish many more than I expected. Run a half marathon, check. Launch the blog, Check. Buy our house, check. Family meals every week, check. I am so proud to look back at the things my family and I did in 2016, so for 2017 I am making a similar plan. Aside from a couple of personal things I hope to do this year, I have a list of goals and changes I want to focus on as a mom.
- Be IN pictures with my children. This is a big part of the changes I’d like to see in the new year, while looking back at all the pictures of the stuff we did with the kids last year I realized there aren’t many pictures with me in them (none at all for some outings). This is because I’m our family’s official photographer. Usually with my iphone glued to my hand, I document my family’s milestones and celebrations because i want them to be able to look back at these memories someday. But I’d also like there to be some kind of proof I was there too lol. So this year I’m going to make it a point to ask others pitch in and take some of the pictures so I can be in the memories too.
- Be present during family time. This is kinda part 2 of the first one, the whole phone glued to my hand thing has to end. I’m going to try to make a point of taking the pics I want, or getting some taken with all of us in them, then put the phone or camera away and actually ENJOY whatever it is we are doing. Photos can be texted to grandparents or posted to social media at a later time.
- Cut myself some slack. There is a buzzfeed video about the types of moms there are. I unfortunately most related to the “Hot Mess” mom. I kinda beat myself up over it a little since then, starting to worry if this is how people saw me. I often look a little disheveled, I’m always running late, my kids probably watch more tv than they should, and their socks rarely match. This year I am going to remind myself that these things are not deal breakers. My family is happy and healthy, we finally bought our own home and are in a great place. I need to stop measuring success by other people’s achievements and look at who we are and have accomplished.
- Make a little “me” time a priority. This one is probably on most mom’s wishful thinking category. Moms are notorious for putting everyone else’s needs before their own. This is great most of the time but there needs to be a little give back and time for ourselves. This year I want to make doing things I want or need a little more of a priority. Probably not every day, and certainly not every time I feel like it, but this year will hold a few more hair appointments, workouts and probably a massage or two.
- Keep up with little tasks/chores to avoid feeling overwhelmed. This is one I say every year and never keep up for long. But the last few months I have been following through and I love the results and plan to continue it. It really is so much easier to pick up little things as the day goes along than to leave it all and have to do the whole thing at the end of the day.
- Do something for someone else. I have a very specific plan this year. I crochet during slow times at work and will commit to making 2 hats and one scarf every month in 2017. Most will be children’s size and donated to a coworker’s hat drive for the local children’s hospital in November. A few will be adult size and kept in my car to donate to anybody looking like they need something warm to wear. I usually carry a water bottle and granola bar with me and have gladly handed those out on many occasions, so that will continue as well.