New Year's Unresolutions

My cousin recently posted this on Facebook :

"I just completed my goal for 2014! I flossed my teeth 353 days! What should be my goal for 2015?" Or something close to that. You're free to think whatever you want about that particular post/important goal for the year. I've already come to my own conclusions. But it's an intro to something I've been thinking about this week: making goals every January 1st for the year. 

Confessions: I hate New Year's resolutions. I'm not going to do them or feel obligated to set goals that I will stress about in a week. 

Instead of setting goals and trying to accomplish more than I'm already doing, I started thinking that what I really need is to give myself permission to be more human. I need to let go of ideals, pride, social expectations, and my own darn stubborn attitude more than I need to lose weight or learn Russian. 

(side comment: If goals really work for you, I'm so happy for you. Please don't think I'm saying that New Year's goals are bad for everyone. They're just not for me.)

Here is my New Year's Permission Slip:

*Feel as elated or as angry as I want to about having this baby (usually both happen within an hour)

*Raise children the way I feel is best for them, without the pressure of helpful advice and internet listicles

*Not obsess about weight, but be a model for positive body image for my two girls
 
*Take my own sweet time to understand church policy changes

*Not believe memes and other internet garbage, but seek real facts regarding the upcoming election

*Ask and accept help when it's needed and not when we are nearly dead

*Not protect and save my kids from everything, but let them try and fail and learn for themselves

*Feel as compassionate as I want towards friends/family in need, animals, refugees, homeless, etc without letting someone tell me I being 'too sensitive'

*Be as passionate about the beach as I want to be

*Proudly eat as many McVitties Digestive Biscuits as I wanna. But only the milk chocolate ones.

*Go to bed telling myself that I was good enough and tried my best. Lose the mom guilt. And all other unhealthy guilt. 

Comments

Jerri said…
I love that you are giving yourself permission rather than setting a bunch of unreachable goals. Thanks for sharing. Love you and yours - signed "Shannon's mom"
January 7, 2016 at 7:56 AM
Megan said…
This is a great compilation of permissions! I have the same feeling about New Year's Resolutions. I hate them. I never make them, and I'm ok with that. What I do love about January first is that the year feels so new. In the immortal words of Anne Shirley, "It's a fresh new day with no mistakes in it." Oh, I'm sure to start making plenty of mistakes soon enough - but the feeling of open possibilities is exciting and refreshing. Happy New Year, my friend.
January 7, 2016 at 11:12 AM
Unknown said…
Ladies, THANK YOU for your encouraging thoughts. I am definitely grateful for a new year to start over and dream big. I appreciate your support and friendship so much!!
January 15, 2016 at 10:26 PM
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