Year after year, for as long as I can remember, I have always felt the pressure to have some type of life-changing resolution. This year my mantra has changed: new year, no resolutions. Instead of halfheartedly trying to lose weight or start a new hobby, I promise to give myself grace and conserve my peace.
As moms the never-ending pressure to be better and do better is all around us.
Why not challenge that status quo and work on giving ourselves a little break from grand resolutions? This includes giving ourselves credit for trying new things or including new daily habits. What if we work on getting fresh air for 30 minutes a day rather than jumping into a rigorous training program on January 1st? Fresh air and moving our body have so many benefits–and they’re free!
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Instead of taking up a new hobby in between all the mom duties, what if we prioritize time for self-care? Carve out time just for you, mom. I mean real self-care time. If you love a good pedicure, prioritize time for you. If you love hiking and haven’t been on a hike in months, make that time for you, momma. It may take a little scheduling, but make sure you are making time for what you love.
Build on the Basics
This year I want to take what I am already doing in my life and build upon it. Taking small steps to work on creating peace in my life. I have heard several times as the year kicked off that building upon the basics can help you get your thoughts and goals in order.
One small thing I wanted to do for myself last year was consistently wear sunscreen on my face. A morning face routine was already in place, so I just swapped out my moisturizer for moisturizer with sunscreen. This one small swap has helped me improve my skin health for a year and counting.
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I will admit that much of my at-home stress comes from the loads and loads of little boy laundry that runs through my washer. Folding, hanging, and putting away clothes is not my forte, and it piles up. I walk through my door after work, and there it is piled high and the stress boils over. I made a promise to myself this year to stop after each load and put it away. Two weeks into the new year and I am on my way to making this a habit. This one small change has bought me just a little bit of sanity.
Grace Is the Goal
At the end of another 365 days, if you were able to look back and realize the times you gave yourself a little grace, that is an accomplishment. Filling your year with little improvements in your daily routines and tasks will add up to a lot of good change. Remember, you don’t have to set a lofty resolution in order to show improvement in your life. As moms and women, we feel the heat from every direction to be better and do better, but in the new year, if you are only able to add a 10-minute daily walk to your day, then call that a win! That is 3,650 more minutes of moving your body in a healthy way.
So, this year, it’s “New Year, No Resolutions” for me!
The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of El Paso Mom, its executive team, other contributors to the site, its sponsors or partners, or any organizations the aforementioned might be affiliated with.
