Moms, it’s that time of year again. Time for us to put the Christmas tree away and start setting ourselves up for failure when we don’t achieve all the greatness we say we are going to in 2017. How many New Years Resolutions have you said and actually achieved? I was looking back to mine from last year and I didn’t achieve them all. They were realistic enough, yet I somehow still managed to slack a bit. Or maybe it’s just more the reality that parenting is hard enough without throwing challenges to ourselves. Can our 2017 resolution just be to get by one day at a time?
If you are looking for other ideas beyond daily survival, read below!
1) Drink more water. Keep a water bottle at your desk/in your car etc and ensure you drink a set amount every single day.
2) Give at least one compliment a day. And mean it!
3) Bring lunch to work at least 2 days a week. Cost savings!
4) Get a massage. Not regularly because we all know that just won’t happen. If it can happen, have at it!
5) Floss. Every day. Or maybe every other day. Ok, floss more than you currently do.
6) Get more sleep. I try this every year and have yet to achieve it. I am going for it again in 2017!
7) Be more active or stay active. For the moms who already have fitness as a part of your routine, don’t try to conquer the world by increasing it. Sometimes sticking to routine is challenge enough! If you are not active, try for 2 days a week of introducing some heart pumping and strength into your life.
8) Plan a regular ladies night. It doesn’t have to be weekly and it doesn’t have to be fancy. Even a quarterly get together at someone’s house can give you a fun something to look forward to. My friends and I try to get out of the house sans kids but figure out what works for you and your circle and make it happen!
9) Pay for the stranger behind you in line.
10) Moisturize. Especially in these Winter months. Do something for yourself each day by lathering up a bit with lotion. I love using these at work because they are thin enough to still type. Note, probably best to save them for solo desk time and not wear them into meetings.
11) Eat more fruits and veggies. Sometime I am so worried about packing my kids’ lunches and snacks that I will go days and realize I have not had a whole piece of fruit. This year, I will make this a priority to eat a bit fresher.
12) Pray. In the car, before bed, in the morning before your family wakes up- set aside dedicated time to connect with Jesus and center yourself.
13) Have lazy days. This is challenging but I am going to commit to having one lazy Saturday or Sunday a month. No plans, no commitments, just family time (and catching up on housework I’m guessing).
14) Practice gratitude. Remind yourself regularly of the things you have in life that bring you joy. Tell others how they bring you joy. Even if it’s just telling your husband thank you for dropping off the kids to school or helping with household chores. This is particularly important during life challenges but can help remind us of God’s presence with us through this life.
15) Slow down. This will be my biggest challenge of the year. But I am determined to slow down a bit in order to do things like play dolls with my daughter and build legos with my son more often.
16) Make your bed every morning. It pulls the whole room together and leaves you feeling a bit more organized.
17) Write a letter to yourself/Journal. This is one of my favorite things to do. I write one to myself each year and then read it the following year. If you feel you have it in you, try to start journaling this year. This can be a great way to connect with God, slow down and practice gratitude too!
18) Volunteer. Find something you are passionate about carve out time to volunteer. Church is often a great place to find opportunities as well. Bring your kids along if they’re old enough as well!
19) Give yourself a break. Moms, we are so hard on ourselves. Stop it! This is a big challenge but make 2017 the year you started giving yourself kudos and stopped focusing on all the things that have not gone perfect.
20) Give hand written notes. I believe this is a lost art. Make time to write notes to people. Mail them or stick them on a coworker’s desk. One of my teacher friends keeps all the notes her students give to her. Handwritten words matter!
What other things would you add to this list? We’d love to hear!
