The New Year is quickly approaching!
December is coming to an end and holiday festivities are winding down and pretty soon we’ll have a fresh start for “resolutions” or “promises” for 2018. So, let’s take a moment to be grateful for new beginnings and all the possibilities that they can bring, but also, let’s be realistic and logical and think about some attainable goals that we can set for ourselves and women, wives, and mothers for the upcoming year.
1) I will not neglect myself this year. This can be a tough one. Babies, jobs, husbands, housework, oh my! We can fall into the background so easily. Let’s make a promise to be intentional about ourselves and about our mental well-being. What do we enjoy doing? What do we need? What makes us stressed? If you had to spend 10 minutes on yourself today, what would you do? Go do more of those things in 2018! For me, it’s bible study, singing when I’m alone, and connecting with other moms. A few minutes a day can make all the difference!
2) I will try not to beat myself up for not having a perfect body. Y’all, there are varying degrees of mombods in the world and most of them don’t look like their pre-baby bods. I have seen beautiful, strong mombods that run 10ks and lift barbells. Those bodies are fierce! I have also seen mombods that don’t do those things. They have stretch marks and are soft, despite healthy eating habits, lotions, and plenty of sleep. Those mombods are also fierce. Let’s remind ourselves that our children are watching. They see how we look at ourselves. They hear what we say. They think we’re beautiful and we’ve got to try to see ourselves like they do. Let’s make 2018 a year of body positivity, for ourselves and for the little ones who look up to us.
3) I will remember my spouse. For richer, for poorer, in sickness, in health, through sleepless nights, teething babies, hectic practice schedules, crazy teenagers, and all of the other things that pull our attention, we chose them. We choose them. In the beginning, there were two. And maybe there hasn’t been a whole lot of time for just the two of you with all of the holiday happenings, but 2018 can be the year you take back your marriage. The kids will understand. As a matter of fact, they’ll thank you later. You’re setting them up for their own future marriages with the example you set. Set a date day each week or each month. Be intentional about loving your husband in the tiny spaces of each day. Remember him. Remember what makes him feel loved. Remember when you were first dating or when you first got engaged and you told him all the silly details or sent random texts or pictures to make him feel involved in your day? Do that more.
4) I will be intentionally grateful. This is one I have to remind myself of constantly! It’s all about perspective. Baby is clawing at me and won’t let me put him down? He just misses me. I’ve been gone at work all day and I’m his favorite person on earth. I’m so grateful to have a healthy baby boy who loves me with such innocence. Toddler keeps getting into things and it’s making my house messy? He’s growing and exploring and becoming more independent. He wants to show me how “good” he is at day to day tasks, like putting away dishes or wiping down the dinner table. No arguments that those aren’t important tasks I’ll be grateful for when he’s a teenager! I promise to make 2018 a year of less complaining and more thanksgiving. These early years are the toughest, but they’re also the most worthwhile.
So what do you think? Do you have any mom goals for yourself for 2018?
