Thoughts on new years resolutions

Now that this clusterf@ck of a year is almost over, I've been thinking of what changes I'd like to make for next year.

 

I thought about the resolutions I'd made in years past and realised that most of them were about taking things away, losing, reducing etc. I wonder if that's why they often don't work? Because we focus on what we'd like to reduce, instead of focusing on what we'd like to gain.

 

This year I'm going to do things differently. I'm not going to take anything away, I'm just going to add in more of the good. More things that bring me joy, more things that add value to my life. I figure that as I add in good there will be less time for things that aren't so joyful. 

 

Naturally there are things that I'd like to reduce, but I'm not going to focus on them. So, instead of having a goal of reducing spending on unnecessary purchases I'll focus on shopping more intentionally and mindfully. Focusing on the positive instead of what I want to reduce feels better. It feels like I'm doing something good, instead of the focus being on something I'm not doing, something I'm missing out on.  

 

With that being said, here are my goals for the new year. These are the things I'll be adding into my life:

Plant based meals

I have a fairly healthy diet, however I'd like to add in more veggies. I also want to find a few vegetarian meals that my family will eat.

 

Mindful purchasing

Often my purchasing decisions are not based on what I need, they're impulse buys or stress buys. I'm going to aim to be more mindful with what I purchase.

 

Decluttering

The clutter in our house is a constant source of annoyance for me so I'm going to devote more time to decluttering. Even if it's only five minutes a day it will make a difference.   

Rest

When the boys are at school and Tiger is at work I don't allow myself any down time. I treat it like it's my work day and I'm on the go the whole day. That's silly for two reasons. Firstly, even if I was at work I'd get a breaks and secondly, my job is 24/7. Unlike Tiger I don't clock off, I'm always Mum, always cooking, cleaning etc. The time that the boys are at school and Tiger's at work is the only chance I have for down time, so I'm going to take it. I'll spend at least 30 minutes every week day resting.

 

Move

Prior to the kids starting school I had a great exercise routine. I'd go to the gym three days a week and go walking or riding with the kids four days a week. Since they started school my routine has gone out the window and I've struggled to keep a consistent exercise routine. Instead of treating exercise as something that comes last I'm going to prioritise it, other things can wait.

Me

I've put myself last in so many ways for so many years. I'm not going to do that any more. My exercise routine is the perfect example. I put it aside for other things/people. I'm important. I run the family. If I'm not well it affects everyone. From now on I'll prioritise my needs. I'll look after me, get the massage, go to the dentist and do the other things I need to do to be the healthiest version of me. 

What good things will you be adding in this year?