10 New Years resolutions every mom should make

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Although I’m not quite ready to say goodbye to 2018, we had so much fun ushering in the new year yesterday. This is always a great time of the year to reflect on the past year and make plans for the new one. We take stock of everything that happened and prepare to take on the next 365 days with a fresh start. I’m tired of making the half-hearted “lose weight” and “get fit” New Year’s resolutions that lack the planning to do so. This year, I’m changing it up and setting some goals that focus on me as a person and as a mom. These are 10 New Year’s resolutions that every mom should make. Will you join me and do a few of these too?

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1. Pick up a new project or skill
There’s something great about learning something new or creating something with your hands. As moms, we spend so much time helping our kids learn new things that we aren’t always very good at branching out for ourselves. Whether it’s trying your hand at axe throwing, training for a sprint triathlon, or finally tackling that IKEA DIY project you’ve been wanting to make, you’ll be so glad you gave it a try.

2. Purge your closet
If you’ve already turned your closet into the perfect capsule wardrobe, then feel free to skip this one. But if you’re like me, then you probably have some clothes that fall into the pre-baby, when-I-was-in-college, someday-I’ll-be-this-size-again categories. Going through your closet and donating anything that doesn’t fit or that you never wear will help you kick-start your organization for the year and give you a closet full of things you love.

3. Invest in your friendships
Motherhood can be lonely and isolating, so when you find someone you click with, it’s worth putting in the time and effort to grow your friendship. Not sure where to find mom friends? If your little one isn’t in school yet, you can also find us moms at the neighborhood park, indoor playground, breastfeeding support group, library, soccer practice and more. I promise, we’re there. I’m definitely more of an introvert, especially when it comes to meeting new people and in social settings, but stepping out of my comfort zone in the name of making a new friend has always been worth it.

4. Volunteer somewhere
Whether you’re volunteering by yourself or your whole family is joining in, kindness always looks great on everyone. Choose an organization you’re passionate about or fill a need in your local community. Even random acts of kindness, like paying for someone’s coffee in the Starbucks line, can have a significant impact on someone’s day.

5. Institute no-device dinners
My husband and I are both guilty of being on our phones during dinnertime. We each have side-hustles in additional to our regular job, so it’s hard to disconnect from e-mails and social media even when we’re all sitting at the table together. Making our dinner table a device-free zone is important for us to have meaningful family time together. This is especially important as our kids get older – Liam’s already asking if he can keep the T.V. on or play on an iPad during dinner. If you’re struggling to make this a consistent habit like we are, you can lock your phones in one of these until dinner is over. And if you need help inspiring conversation, this card set might do the trick.

6. Do family activities on the regular
Usually it’s the kids doing the activities and parents are just the chauffeurs, but there are lots of activities your family can do together. Liam takes swim lessons at Goldfish Swim School and they do a great job at putting together events like family swim nights. Some of our city parks have organized hikes each month for families and a friend of mine takes taekwondo classes with her kids to that they can all learn together. With a little bit of Google research, you should be able to find fun things local to you that the whole family can participate in.

7. Read more for personal growth
There are only so many rounds of Green Eggs and Ham a person can take. Just like adult conversation, mama needs some adult reading every now and then. Fiction books are great for exercising the imagination, but parenting books and other non-fiction are great too.

8. Say no to more
There is a never ending list of all the things you could do, but how many of them are things you actually should? Parents of toddlers and preschoolers have play dates, art classes and story time. Once the kids get older, you’re also adding in music lessons and sports. Saying “no” to things when my plate is full is something I’ve been working on for several years. The hardest part is, when you’ve created some breathing room in your schedule, to not fill it right back up again with something else. If this is a goal you’re making for 2019, then this book by Lysa Terkeurst is a must-read.

9. Schedule time off
Sitters are expensive – I get it. Kudos to you if you have family nearby who are willing to watch your kids. However, we don’t live near any family so we have to pay a babysitter anytime we want to get out for an evening. Not only do we budget money for sitters so we can enjoy an occasional date night, but I also use that fund to get some “me” time. One of the best gifts I’ve ever given myself was the freedom to take some time out for myself when I need it. Sometimes I’ll go out with some girlfriends, but other times I’ll just go to a coffee shop for some quiet journaling time or even head out to a movie on my own. People take personal days from work to recharge and rest, so it’s important that you do the same.

10. Start a 365 photo project
Commit to taking one photo a day for 365 days. If that feels a little overwhelming, then try a 52 project instead, which is one photo a week for the whole year. I did a 365 photo project when Liam was a baby and they are hands down some of my favorite images of our family. I also found it creatively challenging and it inspired me to focus more on preserving moments instead of creating them. There are many different variations of this, so you can really choose whatever you want: photos of your kids, self portraits, still photos, a new theme every week or month, etc.

Here’s to the new year!