Everybody gets heart eyes for Christmas. I mean, I can see why. The lights, the music, the childlike expectation of Christmas morning. Christmas is great.
But for me? I’m all about New Year’s.
A Champagne fueled party that ends in a countdown to fireworks and kissing and a fresh start? Now that’s something I can get behind. I’ve always loved New Years.
I especially love the resolutions. I crave the taste of hope as I envision each goal, big or small, fulfilled and the sense of accomplishment I feel when I stick to my guns. I know they get a bad rap, but I think resolutions embody the bright and fresh start of a new year.
So, in the spirit of New Year’s, I’d like to propose a toast for the mama tribe out there. What if we celebrated New Year’s ALL year? What if we allowed ourselves the space to create little resolutions as we go; at the beginning of each month, or the start of each new week? Even the dawning of each day could bring with it the hope of a new start.
As a mom, my days are filled with the seemingly endless opportunities to take stock and reevaluate and set a new goal. I don’t know about you, but there are some days when even nap time feels like a countdown, and I need a new resolution for the afternoon.
So let’s do it. Let’s embrace the spirit of New Years’ and every time the clock strikes midnight, or the calendar turns to a new month, or even a new day, let’s set our sights on a fresh start.
And let’s all agree to ditch the resolutions that saddle on the guilt — less resolutions that have us saying “I’m going to lose that stubborn belly weight.” Or “I’m going to eat more quinoa.” And more goals that have us resolving to be kinder to ourselves or be better listeners to our friends.
I’m a firm believer that resolutions shouldn’t be a laundry list of things we wish we could do or a person we wish we could be; rather, they should be little pushes that ride on the momentum that we already have in areas of our lives that actually matter to us.
When we invest in the areas that matter, we start to see ourselves in a kinder light. In this gentler New Year’s light, I’m not the hot mess mom who can never get it together enough to work out. Instead, I’m the mom who resolved to be better about checking in with my long distance friends and succeeded because I actually love doing that! Whatever makes your heart beat faster, find ways to resolve to do better in those areas first and see how much better it feels.
And while we’re embracing the New Resolutions, let’s raise our glasses to grace.
It’s inevitable as we’re thinking about our 2018 resolutions to peek back at last year’s resolutions and make a collective “yeesh” face when we realize how little we really stuck to.
Didn’t run that marathon or write that novel? Passport still left unstamped and pantry still left unorganized?
It’s OK, we tell ourselves with hope-filled sighs, there’s always next year. So, while we’re at it, let’s go ahead and forgive ourselves for the resolutions that fall through. Let’s carry that grace with us month to month and week to week, and yes, even day by day and hour by hour.
We mamas need that fresh-start grace more than anyone, and we need to be well versed in offering it first to ourselves. Didn’t keep your goal to run/write/downward dog/eat kale/use your inside voice? Apologize to yourself, extend yourself the forgiveness you deserve, and move forward with new resolve. Go ahead and count down if you have to and when your imaginary clock strikes twelve, give yourself permission to begin again.
In the words of the New Year’s anthem itself, “We’ll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne!”
So what do you say, mamas? What are your resolutions for the new year or the new day?
