When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, it seems like people fall into one of two camps: you make big resolutions, or you don’t make any at all. When I was in my 20s, I probably fell into the former camp. Now that I’m a mom in my 30s, I fall into the latter. This isn’t my year to set an unattainable goal or make a drastic change. This doesn’t mean that I don’t like to reflect on the past year and think about what I want in the future, but I want to make sure that I’m setting attainable goals rather than setting myself up for disappointment. If you, too, are looking for an alternative to typical New Year’s resolutions, check out these five creative ideas.
1. Trade resolutions for reflections.
Instead of focusing on what went wrong last year, think of everything that you’re thankful for and hold onto those memories as you go into the new year. This Kansas City mom writes about why reflection is important to her, and how we can all benefit from it.
https://kansascity.momcollective.com/trading-new-years-resolutions-for-reflections/
2. Just be yourself.
As we go into the new year, we will be bombarded with ads for skincare products, fitness programs, diet plans, and so on. It’s very overwhelming and not exactly a self-esteem booster. Instead of thinking of all of the ways we can change, why not work on accepting ourselves? One Cincinnati Mom contributor shares how she embraces who she is and how we can do it too.
3. Choose a word for the year.
Instead of making a specific resolution to lose weight or eat more veggies, why not choose a word that you’d like to focus on instead? I have done this in the past, and it can be a surprisingly helpful way to set the tone for the new year. Whether you want to give yourself more “grace,” allow yourself to “relax,” or simply bring more “joy” into your home, the possibilities are endless when it comes to picking a word for the year. One Indianapolis Moms writer tells us how she chose hers.
4. Build a habit.
Maybe you do want to set a goal for yourself this year, but you’re not quite sure how to reach it. This Oklahoma City Mom contributor shares what it means to “build a habit,” and why making small changes, slowly over time, is the best way to achieve a goal.
5. Don’t do anything at all.
As moms, we put so much pressure on ourselves to do our best throughout the year. Why add more pressure just because it’s a new calendar year? I relate to this Kansas City Mom contributor, who makes a great point when she says, “I don’t know about you, but expectations I place on myself are additionally difficult because I can be really hard on myself. If you’re in a mental space similar to mine, please do yourself a kindness and don’t set specific expectations to meet as we begin this new year.”
https://kansascity.momcollective.com/why-im-saying-no-to-new-years-resolutions-in-2023/
