It’s New Year’s Day. A day for fresh starts and new beginnings. A day for turning over a new leaf and changing habits in our lives that might need a little tweaking. My Facebook newsfeed is already filling with fitness plans and products. My friends are busy pinning organizing tips and tricks to their Pinterest boards. And Instagram is full of reflections from the year past and goals for the future. And it got me thinking. What is MY New Year’s resolution? What do I want to take on with the start of the year? What do I want to add to my life?
My answer…nothing.
With days that are too short and nights that are not quite long enough, I already feel overwhelmed with all that life holds. Between being a full time wife and mom and having a full time job, there are just not enough hours in the day as it is. The thought of adding even just one. more. thing. to my already overflowing plate makes me feel as if I am suffocating. Suffocating in a world that already takes the roles and responsibilities of a mom for granted and stretches us so thin to the point where we could crumble at any minute.
There are so many demands placed on us moms. Demands to look absolutely perfect…to have a well kept house free of clutter and chaos…to raise idealistic children who are Harvard ready by the time they enter kindergarten…and to have a smile on our face throughout it all.
But what the world fails to see is that the spit-up on my shirt means that I have a baby who is well fed and in my arms where she belongs. And those Hot Wheels on the floor and dishes in the sink? That’s because I have a toddler who I simply cannot say no to when he looks up at me with his big blue eyes and asks me to race with him instead of washing those last few plates. And those days in my calendar that are left free of conference calls or appointments are purposely left blank so that I can spend time on the couch snuggling with my family in our pajamas.
The imperfections that everyone else sees are actually little pieces of perfection in my eyes.
And I want more of them.
So for the New Year, I am making a BIG resolution. Probably my most important one yet. It is a resolution to do LESS. Less obligations, less appointments, less stress. Less time worrying about what the world around me expects and more time focusing on what is important to me. More quality time, more laughter, more smiles.
This means that my laundry will probably pile up {even more than it already does}. My emails may not always be responded to within the hour. And I may even gain a few extra pounds…gulp. But that’s okay. Because I want this year to be the absolute best one yet. I want to soak up every minute with my little ones. I want to create precious memories with my husband by my side. And I want to be truly, genuinely, and completely happy. This is MY year. Will it be yours too?
Beautifully written Kelly! Although I do have a few resolutions or goals I’d like to reach this year, I couldn’t agree more about making 2014 the best year while soaking up all of the little moments with my family!! Happy New Year!!
Thanks, Elizabeth! Wishing you and your sweet family a fabulous year full of great memories and lots of happiness!!
Beautiful! I realized this morning I hadn’t even thought of resolutions. I told my husband that maybe my resolution is just to make 2014 better than 2013. More fun, more laughter, more love.
Hoping that you and your family have the absolute best year yet, Kristan! Cheers to being the best mommies we can be!!
Awesome! Was pretty much thinking the same, exact thing!!
Great minds think alike, Amber! Happy New Year to you and yours!
I love this! So many times we think – what can we do different, want to do MORE of, that it’s a rare thought to do LESS! I hope I follow in your footsteps to get on this mindset. Great article, Kelly!
Thanks, Erin! Hoping I can stick to it as this seriously is the most challenging resolution I have set for myself…
Kelly this is so well written and so true! I love your perspective on this!
Thank you, Emily! Here’s to a fabulous year ahead of us both!!
This. All of this. Happy New Year, Kelly!