Well, parents—you did it. Another wild year of parenting is in the books, and what a year it was! Whether you spent this year welcoming your first little one into the world, or celebrated as a seasoned parent, these last 365 days were quite the ride. As we come off the rollercoaster that has been a feverish seven weeks of gift wrapping, dessert baking, and present shopping, give yourself a moment to acknowledge all that you accomplished this year. You may be starting to consider the idea of New Year’s resolutions—before you dive head first into a whole “new year, new me” journey, let us offer some encouraging advice to help you make the most of your reborn productive spirit.
Start by Making a List
As if you haven’t been drowning in wish lists, grocery shopping lists and to-do lists since Halloween, we are adding another list to your list of lists—oof, try saying that five times fast. It can be exciting to think about all the things that you want to change when 2025 rolls around. But, try not to get caught up in the heat of the moment by changing too many things at one time. If you attempt to become a morning person who works out before the kids go to school, makes elaborate weeknight dinners, all in one go when that’s not your norm, you’ll be right back to square one by January 4th. Instead, make a list of the aspects of your life that you’d like to improve before New Year’s Day. How can you realistically accomplish these line items in a sustainable and fun way? We’ll leave the specifics to you, but seriously, cherish the baby steps of your resolutions journey.
Set Specific Goals for Yourself
Okay, so you’ve sat down and made your list. The beauty of resolutions is that you can really start whenever you want. Need a week to recover after a marathon of indulging in your favorite holiday treats? No problem! When you become ready to lace up your shoes and start your resolutions journey, it’s crucial that you set specific goals to keep yourself accountable. For example, a resolution of yours could be to “stop spending so much on takeout”. What are the small and realistic steps you can take to work towards achieving this goal? Think about your action plan when it comes to tackling your resolutions—it will seriously help you to not go overboard and change too many things at once.
Buddy Up!
There will never be anything funnier than you and your bestie in the back of a quiet, heated pilates class for the first time trying not to absolutely cry of laughter. Exercising doesn’t sound so daunting now, does it? Why tackle your resolutions alone when you can bring your partner in crime along for the ride? It’s way more fun to try things with someone who will help hold you accountable than burdening yourself with negative self-talk and overly rigid self-discipline. Remember, you’re in the process of finding your “thing”. Chances are, you’re not going to find it on the first try, and that’s okay. But think about how much more fun it is to try something with your bestie and laugh about it all the way to brunch, compared to beating yourself up about it alone on the car ride home.
