It’s almost the end of the year! You know what that means? Yes, holidays, cookies, hot cocoa, but I was going for New Years Resolutions! I love this time of the year when you get to hit reset on life and have a new beginning!
Last year in January my husband and I were just barely getting married, so there wasn’t much time to think about resolutions. Now we are even busier than that! I am constantly running everywhere, after my daughter (who can’t even walk yet!) after my husband who takes work trips at the drop of a hat. Not only am I being pulled every which way, but so is our family and the time we spend together. I wanted to share with you guys our New Years resolutions and some ways to keep whatever resolutions you decide to make for the new year.
2018 Resolutions
Our resolution for 2018 is to make, and complete, a bucket list of things we want to make priorities. We have one for our marriage and one for our family overall. I have listed a few of the items in each to give a glimpse of what we will be up to this coming year.
Marriage Bucket List
- Date nights once every week (aka sitting on a couch together after our daughter falls asleep)
- Watch all the new superhero/comic book movie as they come out (this is for my nerdy husband haha)
- Go somewhere special for our anniversary
- Do at least one date without our daughter (I know we have to do it sometime… I’m just not ready…)
Family Bucket List
- Take a vacation (check out: baby’s packing list)
- Get our daughter into a swim class
- Go out to a family event at least once a month
- Prepare healthy, home cooked meals
And of course, I have some personal goals, like losing the rest of the baby weight, cooking regularly, actually learn Spanish, and get my self together! Here are some of the tips I will be using to keep moving forward and not ditch my resolutions.
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1. Every Day is a New Beginning
Set goals that are measurable and have a quantity per day, week, or month. If my goal is to lose 2 pounds per month, but in January I only lose 1 pound, that’s ok, there is a new month. Just hit the reset button!
2. Get Your Spouse/Best Friend on Board
I know this is the most common advise ever. The two of you are already very involved in each other’s lives, and influence each other daily, so why not make it for a common good! When my husband and I first got married, I began eating healthier, because he had very healthy eating habits. Then we got pregnant and I had a lot of crazy cravings. I ended up influencing him a bit, and we devoured chips and ice cream on the regular. Use your power of social connection for good!
3. Give Yourself a Break
Pace yourself, don’t jump straight from the couch into training for the Iron Man. Give yourself time to gradually adjust to your goal. Whatever your measurable goal is, start off with a lower number, and work your way up as you hit each level. Your future self will thank you.
4. Plan it on Your Calendar
Literally, right now, minimize this page/app, go to your calendar and schedule it in! Set a date and a time for activities. If you have a goal that happens throughout the day/week, set up daily/weekly reminders, or download an applicable app like Streaks or a health/fitness app.
Want to keep the house clean? Make a list of all the areas you want clean, and divide those into the days of the week. Make a detailed to-do list, and all you have to do is a few chores each day! (This is actually one of my goals as well haha)
5. Evaluate and Reset
At the end of each week, month, or quarter, evaluate how much of your goal was met. Do you need to push your goal even higher now, is it perfect, or do you need to scale it back a bit so you can actually meet your goal?
6. Incorporate it into Your Current Routine
The easiest way to really get something done- tack it on to what you already do. When I was a teenager (ok, even when I was in college) I was horrible about washing my face. Easiest thing ever was to have the facewash sitting in the shower. I was already there, it took away my “cold water” excuse, and it takes about 20 extra seconds.
For more on why you should have a morning routine, click here.
7. Make Sure There is a Built-In Reward
No, I am not talking sweets and shopping sprees (I wish.) I am talking about your end goal. If my goal is to make baby food from scratch for my daughter, then my reward is knowing that I am instilling healthy choices into my daughter that will affect her for years to come. If I can get her to like fruits and veggies now, imagine the possibilities of a kid who actually likes to eat veggies! Whatever your goal is, make sure you identify your main motivation to push you onward.
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What are some of your New Years Resolutions?