New Years Resolutions

This post is WAY behind...but better late than never!

I have a few minutes of peace and quiet all to myself so I thought I'd take a moment to write down the things I've been pondering over the last couple of weeks.  As I've been thinking of my New Years goals I began with "my usual"...Lose weight....Simplify....Read my scriptures...say my prayers....

And not that any of these aren't great goals and that I should definately be working on, but I realized that there is a reason why these four goals are perpetually on my New Years resoltuion list...it is because I have made them a chore.  I am changing my thinking up a bit this year and this is what I have decided:  I just had a baby a few months ago.  It is okay to give myself a little slack (not TOO much slack) but just enough that I am not pressuring myself beyond my actual capacity to be successful at accomplishing things and feeling good about myself.

I've realized that most of the time the reason why I fail at achieving something is because I set the sights too high or wanted to accomplsih something too quickly.  I am, afterall, not perfect (*sigh*).  It has only taken me 28 years and 3 children to realize this. 

Back in the summer, my good friend, Rachel told me that I might as well learn to give-up on some things now, and essentially let go of so much control in my life because having three kids is a whole new ballgame.  You can maintain a sense of control with two children, but as you add more you just need to learn to go with the flow more.  At the time I agreed but thought inwardly, that it wouldn't be that much different, would it?  Well, 10 weeks after baby #3 I have JUST BEGUN to learn that yes, it is okay to let go of some things.  It is okay to make some things priorities and let other things slide.  It is okay to be behind on my blog (do that many people read it anyways?)  It is okay to not be the best cook, have the cleanest house, or make the craftiest crafts!

I am still very orderly.  I like my home clean.  That IS part of who I am, and I do find that I function better in a well-maintained home.  BUT, I can also ease up and make more time for my kids.  Drop everything around me and give them my time. 

I am lucky to have a clean and orderly husband who I don't have to clean-up after.  I am lucky to have a 7-year-old who is willing to help and who is accepting more responsibility around the home.  I am lucky to have a 3-and-a-half year old who reminds me to SLOW DOWN.  To sit and read or cuddle or sing.  I am lucky to have a sweet baby who makes me smile every time I look at him.

So.  I still intend to lose weight...simplify...read my scriptures....and say my prayers, but in doing so they will not become a thing on my list of daily to do's.  In simplifying I will ALLOW myself some time each morning for myself to sit and read and reflect.  This is perfect as I have a baby to feed and must sit down and be idle anyway.  I will continue to strive to live and eat healthily.  I will allow myself my favorite foods but in small portions.  I will not deprive myself and then over-eat later.  I will not stress myself out with hard work-outs at unreasonable hours.  I will be a busy mom, taking care of my children, teaching them to love themselves and in doing so, re-teach myself to accept who I am at this time and in this season.  I will be a wife who shows her husband she loves him at the end of the day instead of allowing the daily stress to make me on edge. I want to be softer, kinder...

I figure that as I live my life this way the other goals that I've had that I've never been good at keeping long-term will fall more into place...wish me luck folks!  And good luck with your resolutions!