Like most New Year’s Resolutioners, I have forgotten what I resolve to accomplish way before the end of the year. I stubbornly push my way through January, simply because everyone says no one makes it past the first month of the year. I do! It’s the second or third month of the year that I start to back off of my resolutions.
So why make resolutions at all, right? Isn’t there joy in the hope everyone feels at the beginning of the year? I will always make resolutions. I will rarely accomplish them, but I won’t stop feeling like I can achieve the goals I’ve set for myself.
In the past, there have been a few very worthwhile resolutions. The biggest that comes to mind is 2014 when I lost 50 pounds. There was also the year I wanted to finish my MBA. Accomplished that, too. I’m probably at a 3% achievement rate over my lifetime of resolutions, but if I never resolved to do these things my rate would be at 0.
If you need ideas for New Year’s Resolutions, here’s 10 I’ve narrowed it down to. I’ll end up choosing 2 or 3 from this list to attempt in 2019.
- Lose 40 pounds of post-baby weight. Obviously, not everyone reading this had a baby in 2018. But losing weight is probably the most common resolution. Despite this, it’s a resolution I know I’m able to keep.
- Limit TV time to 10 hours a week. This one is hard for our TV-watching family. Being a working mom meant that my days off didn’t leave me with much energy. This means keeping my kids busy is easiest with the TV. I can usually doze during Mickey Mouse Clubhouse or find it easier to have a family movie night instead of something more interactive. I can do better now that I’m a stay at home mom!
- Yell less. My husband recently told me how much it presses his anxiety when I raise my voice at our toddler or the dogs. This isn’t to say that he doesn’t raise his voice either, but it is something we both agreed we need to work on. His expressing his feelings toward the matter really opened my eyes to how often I raise my voice in order to get them to listen. It also made me think about how much I dislike it when he raises his voice at them too. We never raise our voices at each other, so we need to take that approach towards our kids.
- Pray more. This past summer we ran into some potential problems with my pregnancy that led me to a more prayerful life. You can read more about my experiences here. I have continued to read my Bible daily and read 2 devotionals along with it each day, but I often forget to continue with my prayers. That is something I want to do again, as I have never felt closer to the Lord than during that time.
- Do more fun things with the kids. I’m usually the boring mom that’s too tired to do cool stuff. Sure, we play with toys and read books together, but the cool activities that I’ve pinned on my toddler’s Pinterest board have gone 99% unread and unaccomplished. I want to do better at that so my kids have better experiences.
- Read 25 books. I’ve already dropped in my lack of time how many times now? But I love to read and never make time for it. I’ve read maybe 5-6 books this year. Reading more would be a great way to decompress after a long day.
- Earn money blogging. This seems like a pipeline dream, but the more I read about all these bloggers that do in fact make money, the more inspired I get! Please, please, please be possible!
- Flip 5 pieces of furniture. I am always looking for pieces of furniture that could use a good flip. How often do I ever buy said furniture? Just one time. And I loved how it turned out…so why not more?!
- Limit eating out to twice a month. We are pretty terrible about eating out. My husband is accustomed to eating out, as he is used to being on the road in an ambulance. My mom is a terrible cook and I spent more mealtimes at Wendy’s than I did at home growing up. Getting out of such habits have been a challenge for us. When we first got married, it was a 3-4 nights a week occurrence. We wheedled it down to once a week several months ago and have stuck to it fairly well, but I know we can do better.
- Spend more quality time with hubby. My husband, David, and I lead very busy lives. 44 hours a week at work for me. 40 hours for him where he works an hour and a half away, plus the extra shifts he picks up locally. Then we come home to kids and chores. Finding time for just us is rare. It should be more of a priority.
After writing this list, I’m not sure that I can keep it to just 2 or 3 items for the year! I want to accomplish so much!
Do you have different resolutions in mind? What kinds of things do you want to accomplish this year?