Tuesday, January 12, 2010

I resolve to less stress



The Yahoo Mother Board has asked us to talk about resolutions. (Ironically, I found this out just hours after writing this Examiner post entitled: No resolution? Already given up? No Problem!) Years ago, I made an annual resolution to not make New Year's resolutions.

It was just too much. I was still adjusting to single motherhood, had just survived the holidays, was going to school part-time, and it felt self-sabotaging to add yet more to my plate. So I said enough. And a weight was lifted. Or rather, a self-inflicted weight was not added.

It's made New Year's so much more fun ever since!

Now, that's not to say that I don't take the opportunity to assess where I am when I need a new calendar. I take the time to reflect on where I need to improve.

So without putting a name on it, I told myself this time around that I need to get better about the housework. It at least needs a place on my priority list. I've taken some time on the weekends to clean up some 'hot spots' as FlyLady calls them. The living room looks better, as does my kitchen counter! And I'm making mental note of other areas, but I refuse to stress myself out over them. (*just to be clear here, our place is nowhere near the Grey Gardens or anything, and we can usually find everything we need to leave the house. But there is a mad dash if we have company coming!)

Still, if during the month of May, I think of something I want to do, I don't wait until December and put it in writing first. Call me impulsive, but I'd rather tackle it while I can still remember what it is!

So I'm pretty much the last person to ask if you want help with your New Year's resolution. But call me if you want someone to tell you that it's not the end of the world that you slipped. There's always tomorrow.

Yahoo provided us with a few resources to share:

Here's an article on personal finance by the Motley Fool
.

Styling tips from Redbook.

Here's one that explores ways to overcome the common slip-ups.

And from fellow Mother Board members:

Tales from the Crib's Resolution?

SoCal Mom's Stinkin' Resolutions

And from my dear friend, Kori, I loved the obligatory new year's post. (Is it any wonder she's my best friend?)

If you've written about resolutions (from bah hambug to watch me soar), please add your links in the comments.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am kinda the same way. I do get ideas at the beginning of a New Year but I don't say "these are my New Years Resolutions" The whole idea is silly. If you can think of some way you want to improve your life why wait until Jan 1st ?

Cat said...

I'm a list maker- but that certainly doesn't mean I always (ever) get through those lovely, idealistic lists I work so hard on :-)

MindyMom said...

I'm not for New Years' resolutions either although I understand the concept. The new year is like having a clean slate so it seems like a great time to start something. Usually I reflect on the year prior and hope the next will be better and I try all year long to make that so.

Vivianne's Vista said...

I agree with you! I generally don't like making resolutions. I feel as I am setting myself up to fail. I make incremental changes, and set new goals most days anyway, so I guess it really doesn't matter in the long run.

jenn said...

I call my resolutions "goals" and somehow that makes me feel better, even though it's the same thing. I guess it makes me feel better to know I'm working toward my goals instead of saying I have to do ____ everyday or I've failed.