I love, love, love the New Year’s holiday. Not because I love New Year’s Eve. New Year’s Eve is honestly not my favorite at all. I have no love for going out and raging at a party to welcome in the new year. That’s never been my thing. Rather, what I love about New Year’s is the resolutions. The goals you set for yourself and the hopes and dreams for the upcoming year. And in this article, I’m going to tell you how to make a spectacular New Year’s Resolution.
What’s so great about New Year’s Anyway?
For me, it’s the feeling of having a blank slate and standing at the edge of exciting new possibility. I wish we could bottle that feeling and carry it all through the year. The excitement of beginning new projects and the enthusiasm for new goals is a driving energy for all of us at the beginning of each year and hopefully all the year through.
My New Year’s Holiday
I found myself extremely sentimental this holiday season. There’s any number of reasons that could have happened this particular year. 2019 had a lot of changes and a lot of ups and downs. To be honest, it was kind of a stinker. To be fair, it did have a few bright and shining moments too! Supermom Shuffle was born! But for the most part, it was a stinker.
December Is Tricky for Everyone
In addition to coming off quite a year, the month of December was fairly chaotic. As it is for everyone, we aren’t special. But the stomach flu took my house out for a straight week, making it seem that much more insane this year. Everything was scrambled. Hardly anything was joyful. And there was a lot of barf. A LOT.
Planning for an Extra Special Year Ahead
So, I think in light of 2019 not being the best year, I feel an extra excitement and sentimentality at New Year’s this year. Especially since we begin a new decade tonight. And I’m absolutely pumped to make some spectacular New Year’s Resolutions. I hear you, I hear you and I know what you are going to say… I fully realize that most, if not all, of the resolutions made are never kept, including my own. But, no matter. Today, I’m still pumped to make these goals and dare to dream.
First things first though… we need some resolutions!
This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something from those links, I may make a small commission. See our full Disclosure and Disclaimer Policy here.
Take Your Time
I love sitting down sometime between Christmas and New Year’s and really thinking about what my goals are for the upcoming year. I like to reflect on what has and hasn’t happened in the past year. And why the result is what it is. Based on that quick look back, I think on what I’d like to do differently. Or what went well and I want to continue.
Steal Away A Few Quiet Moments
Take some quiet time after the kids are in bed to do some planning. If late night’s aren’t your jam, then try getting up early one morning and really plan some things out. Leave the kids with Daddy and go to a coffee shop with a notebook. Or maybe you want to go and sit quietly by the water somewhere. I have a friend that goes to a New Year’s Day Mass and she goes to church before the mass and sits and thinks of her upcoming year and plans it out before she attends mass that day. Whatever method works for you, take the time and think about your plans and treat them with the attention they deserve.
So, however you get there, take some time and make your resolutions. I like to write them down in a journal so I can look back at them and add to them!
- This Year I Will… 52 Week Guided Journal
- 2020 Goal Setting Planner
- Things to Do This Year Journal
- Blank Journal
But what makes a good resolution?
Well, it’s easier to start with what isn’t a good resolution… or even a resolution at all.
It seems like popular resolutions are to lose weight and save money. And don’t get me wrong, those are both worthy and lofty goals. Those are the kind of goals we should probably be working on all the time. And I’m not preaching at all. I’m right there with everyone else. I’ve certainly made those resolutions in the past.
Ongoing Maintenance
Health and money though? These aren’t the kind of goals that just begin and end with a year’s resolution. And you certainly can’t afford to not follow through with your resolutions when it comes to health and money. Those two areas are where you should be on top of your game. Always.
You are always going to need to look after your health. You always need to eat well. It’s not like you can eat well for a year, and then bam – all is fixed, and you are ready to go on and eat anything you’d like for the rest of your life. Health doesn’t work that way. And neither does money. These two issues will always be issues and should always be right there on the top of your priority list.
My non-resolution:
So, let me tell you what I’m not making as a resolution for 2020. My health. Not because it doesn’t need attention. It does. My weight and health MUST get under control in 2020. But it’s not a resolution. It’s not even a goal. It just is. It’s happening. My health has become a MUST do and is now what I consider a non-negotiable issue. There is no wiggle room for failure. It’s just the new normal here. It’s something that I’m 100% in control of at all times. I, and only I, can make those necessary changes.
And money. Sure, everyone struggles with money at one time or another. And it will always be an ongoing process to save more, manage better and earn more money. In that spirit, I’m announcing my plan for a 12-part series, one article per month on Supermom Shuffle, to help everyone get a better handle on their money. By the end of 2020, you will all know what kind of savings you should have and how to achieve those financial goals.
In the meantime, if you need help, try these books:
- The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey
- How to Stop Living Paycheck To Paycheck by Avery Bryer
- The Millionaire Next Door
Now, on to the fun stuff. The resolutions we DO want to make!
What SHOULD your resolutions look like?
You should make them fun! Make them serious! Definitely make them useful! Just whatever you do… make them yours. If you are fixing something that you think you SHOULD fix rather than something you actually WANT to conquer, you’ll probably fail every time. But if it’s something you really want to achieve, you are already well on your way to addressing your goals.
I’ll go first – I have 3 resolutions this year
1) Hair & Make-Up
Hair
My freaking hair. There’s a ton of it. It’s a thick, curly, frizzy mess. And it needs help. My gift to myself for Christmas was
Make-Up
I’ll be honest… Mama’s looking tired these days folks. And I need a little help. I’ve never been really good at doing my make-up, but I love make-up! I have an Ipsy subscription and all my beautiful make-up is just sitting there, waiting for me. I’m going to watch some tutorials on youtube to see how far I can get. If I still need help past that, I’m going to get a lesson/makeover for my birthday in February.
2) Time Management
One big goal i plan to work on my time management skills. I’ll be honest here… my time management stinks. I mean, it stinks up one side and down the other. It’s not that I don’t do the important stuff. I do. It’s just that I have a list to do for the day that I probably couldn’t finish in a week. It’s not even a mathematical possibility most days. There aren’t enough hours in the day for all I’m trying to accomplish. So, naturally, I come up short each day and feel bad about myself. That stops this year. I’m working on implementing some time management that works for ME.
Time Estimation and Punctuality
As part of my time management journey, it should be said that my ability to estimate how much time something takes versus how much time it ACTUALLY takes is awful. I’m terrible at it. I try to squeeze something that will take an hour into 20 minutes and, of course, run behind all the time.
Additionally, as part of time management, I plan to be on time. I’m always late. And it’s a terrible feeling. It’s rude to be late. It’s disrespectful to people’s time and I have to get it together and stop being late. I just have to train myself to get ready a little quicker and a little earlier. Of course, there will always be a crazy day here and there, but being late shouldn’t be my norm. And it’s become my norm.
Time Management Skill-Building
So with some new
3) Make Time
I don’t mean make more time. No one can do that. But you can prioritize your time for what’s important. You have to fill up your own bucket to keep you going at full speed all the time. If you don’t take the time to fill yourself with joy and peace, you can’t spread it on to others.
What Do You Want To Do With Your Time?
By making more time, I mean, making time for what’s truly important to you. I personally want to make time for visiting with aging loved ones. I’d like to take a few trips for visits with family. It’s important to me to see the ocean every year and take a simple vacation. I want to go on dates with my husband. And maybe an overnight trip or two with him too. I want to take time to drop everything and go outside and play with my boys.
I want to make sure I’m taking the time I need to make sure I’m taking care of myself, mentally and physically. Because I sure haven’t been for sure in the past few years. It happens when you have little kids. But you have to be aware and try to regain control when you can.
New Year, New Decade
This year’s resolutions are really important to me. Maybe it’s because it’s a new decade and I’d really like to rock this year out. Maybe it’s because it’s the last year of my 30’s. Maybe it’s because the last 2 years have been really rough in some spots. I’m sure it’s probably a little bit of all those things. Whatever it is, and however many of those things are driving me, all together those things should be enough to fuel me through the year and push me towards success! And that’s what I’m looking for this year!
Sticking To Resolutions
So, how do you stick to a new resolution? Moreover, how do you stick with it for a whole year? Or until it’s complete? Well, it’s tricky business. I’ve got a few tips for you though!
Break It Up
Break it up into smaller pieces. Don’t try to conquer the entire goal in one day. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time! So break your goals up into smaller, more manageable goals.
Deadlines
Give yourself a deadline. Decide what you want to accomplish and by when, and put it in your calendar and keep track of where you are in meeting your goals.
Specifics
Get specific. Don’t just say, I want to make more time. Say, I’m going to do “x” to open up 3 hours in my week. And with that 3 hours, I’m going to do “y.” The more specific your goal, the easier it will be for you to implement!
Wrap Up – How to Make a Spectacular New Year’s Resolution
It’s important to have goals to drive you and make you want to strive for better. And it’s just plain fun to make New Year’s Resolutions. So my challenge to you, as the clock runs down on 2019 today, is to make your own awesome resolutions for 2020. Nothing is too big or too small. As long as it matters to you, it will be perfect! So, whatever your resolutions may be… I wish you luck, health, wealth, success and love for 2020. May the “road rise to meet you”, may the “odds be ever in your favor”, may the “force be with you”, and may you always just keep shuffling. Happy New Year’s, friends. Go make 2020 spectacular.
Related Posts:
- Overcoming Overwhelm: A Mommy’s Guide
- How to Prepare for a Crazy Busy Week
- 3 Tips for Getting Out The Door On Time Every Time
Want to remember this? Save this article about “How to Make a Spectacular New Year’s Resolution” to your favorite Pinterest Board!
Leave a Reply