The Best Resolutions for Moms for The New Year and Beyond
{ By Bethany Braun-Silva }
Welcome to 2022, and if you’re slowly creeping into the new year like I am, making a resolution to last the next 12 months can be pretty daunting. Between surviving the junior year of the pandemic and taking care of our home and families, adding a new goal to our seemingly never-ending list is hard to wrap our collective heads around. But there are some resolutions that parents can make and achieve this year that don’t require any significant overhaul of, well…anything!
1. Enlist help:
Whether it’s from your spouse, your kids, or someone you hire, this is the biggest way to help offset stress and enter the new year with a bit more ease. Mothers especially need a bit of a break from the mental load of parenting and life. Hiring a virtual assistant to help you manage your business or finally (!!) enforcing age-appropriate chores for your kids can make all the difference in your day-to-day stress and happiness.
2. Schedule “me time”:
Many moms struggle with this. I find it best to schedule time in my calendar to relax or decompress, just like I do with an important meeting or call. I live by my calendar, so if it’s in there, I can’t ignore it, and chances are it will be harder for you to forget, too. Give it a shot! You might find yourself creating new healthy habits because of it.
3. Don’t sweat the small stuff:
Kids won’t eat breakfast (or lunch or dinner)? You still haven’t responded to your BFF’s text days later? Did you forget to pick up the dry cleaning for the umpteenth day in a row? Annoying? Yes! Life-altering ball drops? Hell no! Give yourself some grace; we are living in unprecedented times, after all. These things aren’t as pressing as we sometimes make them out to be. If your family is healthy, then you’re doing alright, which leads me to the last point…
4. Practice gratitude as a family:
This is one resolution worth keeping. Take some time weekly, if not daily, to practice moments of gratitude. Your best bet is probably to spend at least once a week discussing the things you are grateful for in-person in real-time. During the rest of the week, set up a gratitude jar or whiteboard in a high-traffic area in your home. Leave notes for each other that you can refer back to when you’re feeling stressed. Something as simple as, “I’m grateful for the delicious dinner mom made last night,” or “I’m grateful for the hug you gave me after school” can go a long way.
Let’s conquer this year with gratitude and grit!
