It’s that time of year again when almost everyone is gearing up for the New Year by making resolutions. The list goes something like this:
Lose 15 pounds.
Work less.
More family time.
Eat better.
So we buy some running shoes and run for three days; buy a bunch of salad and eat raw veggies for two weeks until we tire of it; make our family eat dinner around the table every night for a week and then decide we can’t keep it up. The change is too hard to maintain so we give up and then we feel defeated, depressed and hopeless– like life will never change.
All of these resolutions are worthy goals, but the problem is that change isn’t made in grandiose strides. It is made in the tiny steps we take each day.
One way that I combat this cycle is avoiding New Year’s Resolutions. I try to live my priorities daily and weekly, rather than trying to make huge changes all at once. I also renew my commitment to my priorities every day. Even if I messed up yesterday, today is a new day and I can start over.
If you would like to make some real change in your life rather than just another resolution, I have a couple of resources for you:
The Peaceful Mom Goal and Action Planner
(Click here to read more about how to use the planner and to print.)
Life Inspiration Board
(Click here to read more and print.)
Weekly Goal Planner
(Click here to read more and print.)
Have you found New Year’s Resolutions helpful or not? Leave a comment. 🙂
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I think you are right on! Every year I try to make what I think are “reasonable” resolutions, only to keep them up for a few short days or weeks. This year I am going for a long term goal by making some small changes that I can do daily that will eventually get me to my final goal hopefully. I am totally an “s” personality and I function well only when organized. The last several years with getting married and starting a family, I have gotten away from that and my time management has been awful, resulting in me leaving healthy habits like drinking plenty of water, eating somewhat healthy foods (I am picky), getting enough rest, exercising, etc. I’ve tried to get back to organization only to fail because I tried to do it all at once instead of making small changes. I have used a lot of your tips and printables to help me create better organization. I’ve been putting things together these last couple weeks to help start the new year off right with things I can do daily to help me get on my straight and narrow with time management. Thank you for all your helpful tips. Hoping to be enjoying my 2012 year healthy and happy instead of stressed!
Brittani, it sounds like you are on the right track. 🙂 Thanks so much for letting me know that you have found things on the site helpful. That is my hope!
Have a wonderful 2012!
Hi!
I know I’m a little late to the party on this one but I just found this article and had to laugh a little (in a nice way!). I also have a blog, a women’s fitness blog, and recently posted this article http://lemonwedgefitness.weebly.com/4/post/2013/01/fitness-bucket-list-2013-introduction.html
It’s almost like we talked about our thoughts on New Years Resolutions before writing these! Too funny. By the way I love your blog and read often! As a young, barely-graduated-from-college wife I can’t get enough sound financial and money saving advise!
amen! I don’t usually do new year’s goals because it too makes me feel like a failure. I do have a big picture goal to get more organized with blogging this year…I’m going to take that a week at a time though:)
Have you seen my blogging planners? Click here. 🙂
I LOVE this! I am with you on this! I think we do stress WAY too much over the small failures, when really they aren’t failures, just not right nows! We can strive each day to do good things for ourselves, families, others, etc. I’m feeling this blog more than any other right now. While I do plan to get back on my fitness goals starting in January, I’m not going to beat myself up anymore. I’m just going to be the best ME I can be each day! Thanks!
Sounds like a good plan to me Cory! 🙂