New Year's Resolutions

Happy New Year!

I planned to set time aside during my son's nap time on New Year's Eve to write this post, so it could be ready to go up on New Year's Day. But, after a fun morning at the Montreal Science Centre, my son had a bit of a serious accident and we spent the rest of the day in the ER while he got stitched up. Thankfully my son is fine, and the whole incident was a reminder that even though as much as we try make plans, the unexpected will happen, and it's important to give ourselves grace when things don't go as planned. I love making resolutions and goal setting, but it's good to be mindful that things do not always go as outlined. It's important to have goals and plans to move us forward, but it's also important to remember to give ourselves grace when we don't (or can't) live up to the high expectations we place on ourselves.

With that in mind, here are my resolutions for 2018:

1. Learn to be content with less. I really want to embrace minimalism (well as much as you can with an almost two-year old in the house) and learn to be satisfied with what I have. Being more mindful of my choices and how I spend my time (and money) is my over-arching goal for this year. One area I have way too much (and spend way to much money on) is clothing. I know I'll never make the whole year with no shopping, as there are a couple gaps in my wardrobe, and I'm sure I'll succumb to a new trend or two, but I want to buy less, and use and enjoy the clothes I actually have. My action item: only spend $250 this year on clothing and shoes. This limited amount will only let me make two or three purchases over the year, so I will have to plan my purchases carefully.

2. Meditate. This also goes towards learning to be more mindful. In the past when I have incorporated the practice of meditation into my everyday life I've found the clarity of mind that comes through meditation to be extremely calming (and stress-reducing) as well as helpful in making important decisions. Even though I find the practice to be beneficial, I have a hard time incorporating it into my regular routine, and sticking with the practice. Action item: meditate once a week. I'm going to schedule a meditation session once a week in my calendar to help me make meditation a regular practice.

3. Spend less time on my phone. This article is good motivation to remember that all the time I spend on my phone is not healthy. Besides the potentially dangerous physical harms of being on our digital devices all the time, spending so much time on my phone makes me less connected to the people in my life. Although I enjoy Instagram, blogs, and other social media they should not be the primary form of connection in my life and they distract me and pull me away from my family and friends. This is going to be a tough habit for me to break, so my action item is baby steps to start: no phone time between 9:00 pm and 9:00 am. Not only will this help me sleep better, but this will give me time to connect with my family during mornings and evenings.

What are your new year's resolutions?

Wishing you health and happiness and all the best in 2018!

XOXO

(Photo by Cristian Escobar)