I’m the worst at resolutions.
Maybe it’s my personality type. Once I read that it doesn’t matter if I was going to go do A in five minutes, if someone tells me to do it, there’s no way on earth I am going to do A now. I don’t feel like I have a rebellious nature, but all I have to do to make sure I never do something is put it on a rigid schedule or diet plan.
With that said, I pretty much always fail at New Year’s resolutions. I have the loftiest of lofty goals. I will exercise five days a week, finally finish that Whole30, spend 30 minutes of time with each kid individually, and read 100 books.
I must enjoy failing more than I think I do.
If you’re like me and need some help making realistic goals for 2019, maybe we can work through some together.
Here’s a handy-dandy worksheet:
1. Think about what you’re already doing well. And maybe try to do a smidge more.
I do read a lot of books already. Last year I set my GoodReads goal at 52 books, which is one a week. For me, that’s entirely realistic and in 2018, I read 71 books. Maybe for 2019 I’ll make my goal 72 books. Or perhaps I’ll keep it at 52 and just feel good knowing that I’ll likely blow one goal out of the water.
2. Forget lofty goals. Aim for something very general.
I can pretend with my whole heart that I am going to eat Paleo this year and complete four Whole30s. Truly, I’d love to stick to that, but I’m a baker with four small kids who eat like kids, and we eat dinner in the Baylor dining hall. Right now, it’s not realistic and I just don’t have that level of discipline. My goal for 2019 is to eat mostly real foods, not processed ones.
3. While we’re at, can we nix weight-loss goals?
Moms, let’s all agree that being healthy is much more important than being a certain weight. We’re not all the same body type and our culture has set ridiculous standards for thinness, clear skin, white teeth, and more. Love your own beautiful self and aim to feel your best, whatever that is.
4. Learn a new trick.
As I get older, it’s more and more important to me that I am still learning, somehow. Sometimes I feel very bogged down in the day-to-day of being a stay-at-home mom and worried my brain is slowly leaking out of my body. Don’t commit to learning Japanese — unless that’s truly attainable for you — but what about learning how to budget, do a new art like knitting, code, or do yoga?
5. Go with what you’re already good at.
We really love playing board games, and in the past few years have been teaching them to our older two kids. Maybe for 2019 my goal will be to play a game with someone every Saturday. Setting a goal to hug everyone in my family every day seems silly, but do I let days go by where that doesn’t happen? I’m fairly affectionate, but putting it to the forefront of my mind helps me remember how important it is to love on my kids and my husband each day.
I hope this year you’re with me on setting some very low but achievable goals. Along with reading some books and eating real foods, I’d like to get in a rhythm with my mornings that include Bible study. I’d also like to commit to making lunches the night before…but let’s not get totally out of hand.
