New Year, New Me?
New me? No, I don't think so. Not going quite that far or even remotely close to it. I have never been one for making life changing new years resolutions or more importantly attempting to stick to them. Maybe in my younger years I would have made attempts at semi revolutionary new years revolutions, more exercise, be healthy, read more, travel the world. What a lucky, carefree fool I was! But these would have all very quickly fallen by the wayside. And along the way there probably would have been some sort of a feeling of failure or at least a smidgen of guilt for not making it a month at least. The last couple of years a new years resolution has been the last thing on my mind. If anyone had asked me what my new years resolutions were I would have probably, depending on the person asking the question, grimaced and lied that I hadn’t quite decided yet; glared and said my aim was simply to survive at the moment or replied don’t be so ridiculous I don’t have time for new years resolutions!
But for whatever reason this year I had a change of heart and have decided to make some. Maybe I am starting to feel in control of my own life enough to feel I could actually make changes. Maybe it is because we have had and continue to have so many changes going on that I feel that a few more might help. Or maybe this year for whatever reason (maybe the candlelight at our new years dinner at 5:30pm, or the large glass of wine that I very quickly consumed) I suddenly felt so positive for the year ahead and what I could potentially accomplish.
So here are my new years resolutions. They are not revolutionary but instead small things that I think I could achieve. Small steps towards positive changes in my life. Small changes that I hope will mean that this year is a more positive year in more ways than one.
Be more organised. I have started a bullet journal and so far enjoying using it, I know it is only half way through January! But for far too long I have attempted to keep and manage numerous diaries, notepads, lists on paper, lists on my phone, random post it’s and invariably it has led to losing, not using or even completely forgetting about one or more of the above. This then in turn has lead to so much frustration and wasted time. And so more times then I care to remember where I have desperately stood in the kitchen fretting over the important task that I know should have done but don’t have a scooby doo what it was anymore. I want to be more efficient and more productive. Any parent will know how once you have children in your life time just evaporates. So I want to use my time more wisely and effectively leaving me, hopefully, enough time to actually relax and enjoy an occasional cup of a tea. Rather than worrying, whilst drinking a tea that has already become that bit too cold, what task I have forgotten or failed to do.
Create less waste. This is something of bit of a hot topic for a lot of people at the moment. And for very good reason. Changes need to be made. I am planning on buying a lot less random stuff and instead buying carefully. Choosing to instead reuse what we already have. Or choosing to buy items that have less of an environmental impact and are things that I can reuse many times. I want my girls to learn to not be wasteful and to value what we already have. To understand the importance of buying carefully and not just going for the first thing we see. The reasons behind this of preserving our wonderful world, and valuing just how wonderful our world is. So my mantra will be reuse, recycle, buy wisely!
And one final slightly random, hopefully easy to accomplish but one that will make an impact for me... Take better care of my hands. Slightly odd potentially I know but my hands as a mum and a bit of a DIYer have taken a battering. I looked down at my hands recently and couldn’t believe what a state they were. For some reason I have managed to not value spending a quick minute caring for them, moisturising them whenever needed instead being “far too busy” running around looking after the needs of my two girls. So my small resolution is to simply apply cream whenever they need it. It doesn’t even have to be cream, coconut oil from the kitchen who cares, just something! Simple! I am hoping that this small act of valuing taking care of my hands might have a knock on effect and mean that I then start placing more value on looking after myself. For far too long I have put everyone else’s needs first.
So these are my three. There could have been many more, start to get my confidence back, be more positive, ask for help more when I need it. But these three will be my focus for now. And hopefully these three may lead to accomplishing so much more. And now I just need to keep to them. That is always the tricky part with new years resolutions. It is all well and good making them but the important part is sticking with them. I am going to be realistic and realise that change is always slightly challenging and it will take a while to make these change habits for me. I will not berate myself if I slip up. We are often far too hard on ourselves. If I don’t use my diary for a week, so what? The important thing for me is to then get back to it again. Taking a little extra time each day to make these small change happens. A new year is a great time to reflect on the year just gone and think positively to the year ahead. Of the possibilities that lie ahead, of what you can potentially achieve. I look back to last year and cannot believe how much has changed, how much I have managed to achieve. I am looking forward to taking even more positive steps forward this year. Although my resolutions are not revolutionary or ground breaking in any way. They will I believe make a difference. Sometimes small changes can make a real difference.
So here's to 2020! Here’s to a year of potential possibilities! And now I am intrigued… what resolutions if any have you made?