I will not lie to you, it is the middle of the day on New Years Eve and I just now realized that tomorrow 2020 will be over. So, that's about how prepared I am to go into the New Year.
I will also be quite honest when I say that I have not done anything for the entirety of this year in regards to my health and wellness. There is no doubt in my mind that you understand some of the effects 2020 had on our mental health. Personally, I am dealing with a lot of bizarre changes, including the sudden loss of a loved one through her journey with Domestic Violence.
The grieving process has taken a hold on me completely and no matter how hard I try to avoid this awful state of mind, it kind of feels like I am trapped in it by this new reality that she is no longer alive. Spite the fact that I do not want to, at all, and there is no desire to care for myself because of this reality, I know that my family needs me and I must try.
So here we are! In order to insure my success with this goal, I am going to start by being specific about what I want to get from each aspect of my life. That way you can read about the areas you relate to and skip the areas you are not interested in right now. Perhaps you will find value in the categories you are struggling in too! That being said, before I start typing, I just want to say a huge THANK YOU to those of you who have taken the time from your busy mom schedule to read this! I hope that it provides value to you and we can come out ahead in 2021 TOGETHER!
1. Food
My favorite saying goes:
"Real food doesn't have ingredients, Real food is ingredients."
I am a firm believer that nutrition is the most underrated form of medication but... it's December. Our garden is not at all fruitful because, obviously, the snow.
That being said, I am pretty good at cooking meals from whole foods. The area I struggle most is typically planning ahead so that we know exactly what we are making and what we are buying from the store! This part of the process tends to get a little mundane and often gets neglected when things seem to be really busy or hectic. That being said, I plan to focus wholeheartedly on Meal Planning! To stay on track, I made this Free Meal Planning Sheet! Print it out and hold yourself accountable with me! :)
2. Fitness
2020 was pretty uneventful in this department. I started a couple of times but it didn't evolve much from that. My goals to start the year will be to workout 30-45 minutes, 3 days a week and by the end of 2021 I would like to be working out 45-60 minutes, 5 days a week. While it isn't likely, it would be really nice if I could get my husband on board with working out too. Not that he needs to get in shape (he's one of those people...) but it would just be nice to add something to the list of things we bond over!
3. Homeschooling
I have a third grader, a kindergartener, and a preschooler, all of which are learning from home. As a stay-at-home-mom of six years, I initially chuckled and thought "piece of cake". Would you like me to tell you about the reality check or is it safe to assume I fell off my high horse? The transition to stay at home teacher was day by day, to say the least. I still wonder at times if truly homeschooling would have been easier than virtual learning, but as we near the end of the year I know that we have made it this far and we can see this through. I look forward to the day I can send her back to socializing, learning hands on, and end the school day bursting through the door excited to see me.
Until then, we will continue to find the joyful parts that we are grateful for in each day and work towards the end goal while being flexible about how we get there! I already know that every day is not easy but I have learned that there is no need to be perfect. I've stopped putting any added pressure on either of us, and we take each day at a time. As I've learned to be more relaxed about her learning methods, I've seen a tremendous improvement in how she is absorbing all of the information! Major Goal: Start reading more often because we have certainly let that slip through the cracks some.
5. Rest and Relaxation
Honestly, 2020 was just weird... Most days I felt a bit stir crazy, dreaming about going anywhere but here! I never find myself sitting down to enjoy my time with family without the added guilt of whether or not I am being productive, but I plan to work on my mindset here. I will put my phone down more, get down to play with my imaginative children, and just enjoy the little things. More than ever before, this year has taught me to stop taking things for granted and to be patient and kind with everyone. I am ready for a positive, patient, healing mindset! I plan to listen to more podcasts, audiobooks, and affirmations! I find that this has been most effective in filling my mind with positive thoughts.
6. Relationships
To be as transparent as possible, I have never been good in this department. Bonding with people scares the sh*t out of me!!! I try very hard not to be socially awkward and obviously aloof, but gossiping, small talk, and hanging out are all very uncomfortable for me and spite what some might think, it's always been that way for me. As far back as I can remember I was either "a little too much" or "not enough" as a means to cope with my lack of confidence.
Although, I'll say this: 2020 had a way of showing me who my friends are. So many people came forward to say that they cared about how we were doing, letting us know that they were there for us if we needed it, and thinking of me in the darkest of moments. Going forward, I plan to expand my comfort zone and attempt to "hang out" with like minded mom friends! Coffee date anyone?
Also: More date nights with hubby A.S.A.P.!!! Date your spouse, always!
7. Personal Goals For Improving Our Future
I kick myself often for not having a game plan sooner in life. I sometimes frustrate myself with thoughts of why I never pursued anything worth my time. I could help provide financially, I could give my kids more, and I could pamper myself from time to time. As the COVID hysteria dies down and things come to a still, I look forward to the day I can open my daycare enrollment and pursue the important work of developing little minds through education based play! Until then, I know that there is a force at work and all of the things will fall into place when it is deemed the right time. Patience Over Perfection.
I guess that brings me to my Final Thoughts...
For the most part, I don't plan on sharing too many life experiences here on the blog because my overall goal with this space is to share positive and uplifting value that will help you to enjoy your days with your kiddos! Recipes, activities, crafts, tips, etc.
On the other side of that thought, working together to create a healthy wellbeing for all of us is important work too. So I am grateful to have this platform where I can share with you my thoughts on the year to come. I hope that reading this has at the very least, given you the opportunity to think about what it is that you want out of 2021 too. Feel free to leave some comments here on the blog! I'd love to hear what your plans for the year to come are as well!
Happy New Year Everyone!!! Cheers to you and your families! I hope for health, wealth, laughter, and love for you and your family!
With Love,
TaLisa
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