Loose weight. Exercise more. Save for the future. Perhaps it’s just me but I find resolutions to be a little intimidating. I love the fresh start that the New Year brings but I hate stressing myself over achieving goals that I know I’ll have difficulty meeting. And then when I don’t meet them I beat myself up about not being strong enough or having enough conviction to stick to them.
What starts off as a year full of promise quickly turns into a year of inability, failure and guilt.
That being said, I do believe some resolutions can help people to embrace and hang on to that inspiring feeling that only a new year can bring. Here are 5 resolutions everyone should make this year and every year:
- Say I Love You. Sure you show your kids you love them by listening to the stories about how their day unfolded. You show your partner love by making coffee for him in the morning, even though you don’t drink it. Maria shares 20 great ways you can show these people in your life how much you love them. But I’m not talking about showing love, which you probably do already; I’m talking about literally saying those 3 words: I Love You. Sometimes we take this for granted that our husband or our children KNOW we love them but hearing it is so important. Say the words I Love You to them at least once a day, every day.
- Challenge Yourself. It’s easy to get complacent in your everyday tasks, whether it’s with work or your family. Do something you want to do but we’re afraid to try or just never thought of trying. Sharon shared a great piece on taking risks. I particularly love the line: Taking risks is about going outside of your comfort zone. By challenging yourself, I don’t mean take up skydiving or lion taming. Challenge yourself by trying a new recipe this week, by bridging the gap between you an old friend, by learning to wire an electrical outlet. Each challenge will expand your knowledge base and prove to yourself what others around you already knows, you can do anything you set your mind to.
- Drink More Water. Water has an amazing power. Sure it can quench a thirst but it can also boost your energy level, stop cravings, keep your immunity up by flushing your system, and keep your skin looking younger. It’s really amazing all that water can do yet it’s one of those little things we often ignore. Perhaps we’ve fall into the mind-set that if it’s not hard to do, it can’t be offering much good. Sometimes the best things in life are free (and easy).
- Be Childish. Have you ever found yourself colouring pictures, building a LEGO set, or working on a puzzle with your kids? You start the task as a way to keep the kids occupied but then you realize you’re having just as much fun. One of the best moments I had was playing hopscotch with my kids after school. Forget that you’re a grown-up for a second and give-in to your inner child. Ignore the world around you and just have fun, jumping, skipping, singing, coloring. Having fun isn’t just for kids.
- No Yelling Before Noon. I love my kids but being a parent does seem to bring more yelling out of me than any other stage of my life. Although I could say stop yelling all together, following some of the ideas in Christie’s article, but in my mind that’s totally unrealistic and these resolutions are supposed to help you embrace positivity versus bring on more guilt. How you start your morning sets the tone for the entire day. It’s easy to get stressed and yell at the kids to get ready faster or the driver who is going to slow or the garbage truck that’s blocking your way. That aggressive feeling is hard to shake even after the episode and everyone starts his or her morning in a foul mood. Take a deep breath and tone it down and you’ll find what’s aggravating you isn’t really worth the bad day. And if you’re lucky, you’ll get so good at not yelling in the morning it will translate into your entire day. Well, we can be hopeful.
All five of these resolutions or goals are something every one of us can do. No membership fee or special equipment is required. The best part is that each one of these resolutions will make you feel better about yourself and the world around you; they send a positive message out to the world to take and pass on.
Now I’m off to do a little colouring.