Reflection, Resolutions and Revitalizing
We are a few days into the New Year, 4 days to be precise. Since having kids, I have found that time just zooms past. No matter how mindful and present I try to be, the birthdays, milestones, deadlines and new years swing by faster than ever. I agree that New Year is a time for reflection, resolutions and revitalizing, but really I think we should be trying to set and achieve these goals all year round.
If I think back to my first maternity leave back in 2011, I was aching to make myself over. I absolutely loved having the break from my working life, was totally in love with my new baby, and got fixated on the idea that this was my time to find what I really wanted to do with my life. Now that I was a mom, I wanted my kids to look up to me as someone who followed her dreams and lived an authentic life. So, all the dreams that I had way-back-when came back into being.
Fast forward to present day: 3 kids later, having moved countries (again), I am still on that quest to being more fulfilled, more passionate, and more excited about life. That’s what finding my momjo is all about! So, it’s no wonder I made another resolution list for 2017, but really it’s just a good opportunity to revisit my current list of personal goals that will evolve and change over time. So here goes:
Be more punctual. Seems the more kids I have, the less accurate my concept of time becomes. I hate being late, but I am also the type of person that thrives under pressure. So, I am really going to work harder at being less tardy in all respects. (I suspect my friends and family might appreciate this)
Gratitude journal. I talk about this, I believe in this, but I don’t do it as often as I’d like. I have loved this concept since I heard Oprah talking about it back in the day… so I think I’ll just keep re-watching our “Gratitude Challenge”, and aim to maintain my bedtime routine that includes journaling the things I am most grateful for.
Gift of giving. We touched on this topic on a recent Momjo Live over the holiday season, and the bottom line is that I love to give to others and make someone else feel good – who doesn’t? I especially love the warm fuzzy feeling of giving when my kids are involved and I see the joy in their eyes. So, whether it’s them giving their teachers a little something, or giving their friends a birthday present, I try make a point of acknowledging how important it is to give. But really, I want to focus more on giving to those less fortunate than us (clichéd, I know). But, there is an old age home right around the corner from my house – there is no reason we can’t visit there every few months to brighten up some elderly faces (let’s just hope my kids behave!). I am going to find some realistic ways to give this gift of giving with my kids this coming year…
Less future planning. Being an adult is tough. Paying a mortgage, managing a household, parenting, being a working mom – it’s all so grown up! With all this responsibility, I find myself planning, hoping and working towards so many things in the future. But, I don’t want to look back in 10 years and regret not being more present cause we were too busy planning a home renovation, a future vacation, blah blah blah. I suspect the practice of mindfulness is the answer to this challenge, so I’m determined to spend time getting better at this skill in the months to come.
Less phone, more quality time with kids. It’s inevitable that my kids will be device-obsessed like we all are, but I hope to delay that as much as possible. Kids learn from actions, rather than words, so I am trying to put the phone aside when I am with the kids, as much as possible. I find this particularly difficult when so many of my family and friends live in different countries and the FaceTime and What’s App video are just so inviting. A digital detox really is in need!
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