Does anyone else feel like they limped to the finish line of 2021? With the rush of the holidays and new wave of the virus, the end of last year was a bit of a blur for me. I thought our hectic holiday season would end in a big family beach vacay, when in fact we spent most of the week sick, debating whether or not to drive home and call it quits.
One a positive note, we did get to see the beach and most of our family. Despite our wave of bad luck, I’d like to think we made the most of our trip and created some lasting memories for our girls.
While everyone else is making new year’s resolutions, I’m still trying to get my bearings.
It’s hard to imagine setting goals and getting motivated to do anything other than sit on my couch and reflect on the last couple of months. Seeing posts on social media is less than encouraging when I’m still unpacking, staring at Christmas decorations and catching up on sleep! Not to mention, the uncertainty of school resuming for our two oldest kids…I’m trying not to worry about that one.
I’ve always liked starting the new year with a fresh mindset and aspirations to improve some area of my life, whether it’s strengthening my faith, getting more organized or addressing an area of my health. This year, I’ve got nothing. But I’m starting to realize that’s OKAY. Just because the calendar says 2022, does not mean I have a deadline to submit my goals. Just because it’s a new year, does not mean I have to feel overjoyed. We put so much pressure on ourselves to make the holidays so special, keep our family healthy, put away the decorations and be fresh-faced for a new year, but it doesn’t always turn out like that.
Maybe what we need is a break.
How about instead of listing all of our goals, we take a week (or more) to relax. Get a massage, go for a long walk, read outside, take enough time to reflect on the year behind us so that we can honestly address those areas of our life that need attention. And if it takes the whole next year to do that, then so be it! It’s better to take time to reflect than attempt to keep up with the calendar.
I was given some words of wisdom to start small when you feel overwhelmed after the holidays. Start with some easy things to do even if it’s just what’s right in front of you. Eventually you can move on to some bigger, more complex goals as your stress levels diminishes.
Here is how I’m going to break down my list for 2022:
Immediate Goals:
- Unpack
- Put away Christmas decorations
- Get our kids back to school safely
- Take some time for myself to unwind
Future Aspirations (notice I used this word instead of goals?):
- Start a devotional or Bible study for daily reading
- Spend less time on social media
- Go to yoga at least once per week
- Get outside into nature more often
- Organize the garage and playroom
I’ll chip away at the first set, then eventually move onto the second. This feels easier to accomplish than having an seemingly impossible list of goals.
All of this to say, some of you may be rocking 2022 already. Maybe you had a productive 2021 and you came out on top of the holiday madness. If your Christmas decorations are already put away and you’re ready to see what the next brings, cheers to you!! I admire your ambition and optimism. Hopefully this next year will lend itself to the rest of us feeling more prepared.
