Happy New Year!
I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions. But that’s only because I know myself and I know how well I stick to the big resolutions like “maintain a certain diet” or “lose a certain amount of weight.” And, honestly? Do those things make me a better person or help make me happy at the end of the day? They tend to just stress me out and lead to disappointment.
It would be fantastic if after having our baby I could jump on the diet and exercise train and lose all those pounds in a few months. But I know it’s not going to happen and I would just rather go easy on myself and enjoy life with my family.
In 2011, I’m resolving to simplify. I want to take on fewer commitments and stop being so hard on myself. I want to stop setting standards that I can’t live up to and try to stop feeling bad about myself when I see what someone else has done or accomplished. Life is too short and I can either make things easy on myself or hard on myself. And in 2011 I’m going for easy.
I mean, as easy as is possible. I’ll have a 23 month old when our baby is born and I don’t think anything is going to be a walk in the park. But I would like to set some goals to continue working on things that I started in 2010.
I do have a few goals that I’d like to set in an effort to sleep better, worry less, and keep life simple.
- Continue to work on being content. 2010 was about finding contentment, but I’m easily tempted by shoes and fancy cars. I sleep better at night when I am not consumed with thinking about stuff. And I mean actual “stuff.”
- To recognize that I can’t be everything to everyone and there will be people that don’t like me. I don’t need to beat myself up or try to fix every problem in an effort to make someone happy.
- Stop taking on extra responsibility. Maintain the commitments I’ve already made while putting most of my focus on my husband and children. I felt like I was run ragged in 2010 and I know that all of that is a result of finding my balance as a relatively new SAHM. But the extra commitment stresses me out and takes me away from my family.
- Read more and watch less TV. I’m setting another goal to read the unread books in my house- at least 12 (the list is coming later). I don’t know that I’ll be able to avoid watching Glee, Damages, and the new season of The Bachelor tonight. But I watched a whole lot less TV at the end of 2010 than I planned. But reading makes me happy and I feel productive when I do it. And it really does help me sleep well.
So that’s it for my 2011 semi-resolutions. I want to wake up every morning feeling a sense of peace rather than a sense of dread because of unwanted commitments. This contentment thing will be the hardest, but because I’m putting it out here maybe all of you can hold me accountable. Send me a virtual slap in the face when our baby arrives and I start complaining about the size of our house and the amount of baby gear and toddler toys that have consumed my life. It’s just stuff and those are insignificant details, right?
So Happy New Year to all of you! Did you make any big resolutions this year?
No big resolutions for me either! I figure that since I always have some sort of goal for myself for that day/week/month then I’ve got it covered! The one thing that I’d love to commit to this year is to slow down, so I don’t miss a moment!
Can’t wait to see your reading list. I hardly ever read and I am going to try to finish ten books this year. I’m not setting a diet goal just to be healthier all around.
I hear you on simplifying in 2011….I swear, I could get rid of AT LEAST 1/3 of the “stuff” in our house and we wouldn’t miss it at all! In fact, I think we’d be a million times happier! So maybe for 2011 I should make a resolution to take at least one bag or box of stuff to the Goodwill per week. There’s one commitment I’d LOVE to keep!
Happy New Year to you and your fam!
Great resolutions! I hope to read more also.
Amen, sister! I’m am ALL about simplifying this year and finding contentment in the little things and moments of every day life 🙂
Like you, I am not really into the idea of “resolutions.” I feel like it sets me up for failure from the very start! Instead, I am thinking of big concepts to keep in mind. Have you read Gretchen Rubin’s Happiness Project? You might find it useful as a way to think about life. And another thing I am doing is picking one little word to anchor what I hope for the year. I picked flex – as in “be flexible” both mentally and physically. Good luck!
I love this post!!! I think the keyword for 2011 should be simplify! I also have a goal to watch less TV (though I didn’t write it out, because if I fail I dont’ want to have to look back it and have the failure stare me in the face). I also think it will be so good for you to take on less commitments. Less commitments = less stress! :-). I do have one important question though. In your list of TV shows you plan to watch you failed to mention Real Housewives. This is just an oversight, right?
Megan- yes! The Real Housewives franchise will not get the boot because of my resolution. I’ll be watching Beverly Hills, OC, and New Jersey!
Good luck with these! I think the way you talked about finding balance as a SAHM is what was hard for you was very well said. I can imagine I’d be the same way! I wish to be a SAHM, but am a teacher and raising our 1-year-old daughter (and also expecting baby #2 in July). Since I’m a teacher, I feel like I’m constantly trying (and re-trying) to find this “balance”. Over Christmas break it’s one thing, then back to work and daycare for the spring, then summer break I feel like a SAHM again, then back to school in the fall. I think life is about finding happiness and contentment amongst the crazy schedules and changes that throw our balance out of whack. I’m also striving to find that every-morning-happiness that you talked about:)
These are great and spoke so loudly to me as they are exactly the things that I need to do this year!!!! I hope we can both find simplicity this year 🙂 Good luck!!!!!
Great post! I’ll be a first-time Mom this year so my resolution is to just survive 🙂 I also plan to watch less TV and read more when I can. Happy New Year!!
Good for you for making your resolutions simple and realistic. I actually set goals for myself this year that would make me happy like reading books, trying new recipes, etc. Good luck to you this year! I am sure you will do great!
I love your resolution to simplfy! That is something I want to do too… there is too much clutter that doesn’t need to be around! My biggest resolutions were to be healthier (make exerciese more regular) find a charity/organization to join, and be grateful for everything little thing. 🙂 Good luck with yours! I really enjoy your blog!
I like the post and I loved reading your blog this past year!
-K
Lose weight and really do it this year, not just for appearance sake, but for my health. Grow closer to God and remember him in everything I do. Read more. Do more with my blog. I could go on and on. I’m an overachiever.
Healthy living in 2011 is my resolution. I’m not about losing weight only, just making healthier choices in general. Cut back on soda, order the salad instead of fries, etc. Good luck with your goals and the new baby!
Hi Erin! I know what you mean about being tempted and stressed out about “stuff.” One little thing that I did that helped me was I stopped getting girl magazines. No more In Style, US, Glamour, etc. I enjoyed these as a guilty pleasure (and still do on a plane :)) but I found that once I let the subscriptions lapse, I stopped thinking so much about how sub-par my wardrobe and home were. I stopped longing after THINGS as much. Of course, if you enjoy these mags, don’t let my advice take that away! Just found for me that it was a simple way to stop wanting things I didn’t need, and stressing about how my home/wardrobe/body wasn’t as “nice” as it should be….
I want to focus on being more content this year too! And stop feeling like I need all of the “stuff” that everyone else has. My life is pretty great as it is, but it is hard to be content with just what you have without wanting more…money, clothes, stuff. And going along with this is working on being more content in my relationship. I am sooo anxious for us to be engaged, and I know when the timing is right (with the right amount of savings and everything else) it will happen. Do you have any tips on how you have become more content?
I think these are great “resolutions”. I’m not married with children, but I sure have a hard time saying no to people. I take on way too much and really need to work at it!
Don’t you wish there was a button or switch we could press that would stop us from “caring?” I don’t want to stop caring about the important things…but the silly things! Like the shoes on my feet or the color of my hair or the crappy bathroom floors that I wish my landlord would replace. Sometimes it would be nice just to let it all go and just be. I want to work on that too.
Cheers to another great year of book reading! I’m gonna get The Kite Runner in the mail to you this week!
Love this post! My main goal in 2011 is to find contentment, although I didn’t put that on my blog because I didn’t want to have to explain it. I just want to be happy in whatever direction life pulls me!
I”m with Jessica about the magazine thing. The only magazine I am currently reading is Entertainment Weekly (doesn’t help with the whole tv thing), but getting rid of Southern Living did a lot for my “home esteem”. Just found out my MIL got me a subscription for Christmas and I am really NOT excited about it. May just send it to my dentist after I read the travel articles.
I totally understand what you mean by simplifying your life and about worrying over insignificant things. It’s so easy to get caught up in all of our obligations and the things that don’t really matter that we let the important things and ourselves play second fiddle.
I’m looking forward to your book list!
I was telling Hillary in an email, not too long ago, that I desire a more simple life. Not worrying about “stuff.” Sometimes the things that I get consumed with are so silly. Like you said, it’s just stuff and it doesn’t matter. I know that the only way I can bring Amelia up not to be consumed with things is the example that I live. So hard sometimes.
I have ADD when it comes to reading books…maybe I should try to listen to more books on cd. 🙂 I’ve always wanted to be a reader, but I can’t concentrate long enough to finish one!
One of my goals is to cook through an entire cookbook. I’m excited to do that! I have more serious ones, but no one wants to hear those. HA!
Look forward to reading what blessings God pours out on the C family this year! Happy New Year, friend!
I am the same way regarding resolutions. I am so bad at keeping them that I’ve really stopped making specific ones but rather I try to focus on one area of my life and generally improve. This year that area is savings/finances. I did however make a goal last spring not to buy any new books until I have read all the unread books I own (which is kind of a lot!). It has been a fun goal and quite a challange. I have tried to blog about it some which helps hold me accountable and motivates me to read more rather than watch TV. Besides it saves a lot of money!
Good luck with all you goals for the year ahead!
I agree with your take on this – resolutions almost always make us feel worse about ourselves because if they were things that came naturally/easily, we’d already be doing them! And I’ve never understood what about January 1 makes everyone think that all of a sudden it will be easier to say “no” to cupcakes/pizza/an extra responsibility at Church, etc….the fact is that our daily struggles are still hard regardless of the day of the year!
I think it’s important like you said to focus on the bigger picture changes – how do I want to feel, for example. If I want to feel “content” and focus on that, then all of the daily decisions will lead me to it. It’s more output based (I want to be content) versus input based (I will eat healthily, therefore I will feel content).
I am personally working on work/life balance in advance of our first born…I have largely put work first for the past 6 years and it needs to stop. I told myself that this week I am not answering emails at night and I mean it. So far I have held on – but it’s day one at 6:51pm 🙂
Amen sister friend! I love simplifying!! I just want to survive and finish my last year of grad school while working full time. Then once grad school is finished, we can start planning for babies!!
Loved this post! I don’t have too many goals for this year…I do want to become as healthy as I can before we start a family, which will probably be next year, organize my pictures, read more, organize my home. Simplify is a good theme for 2011!
Such a great list, I hope your 2011 is off to a great start!
I just wrote a post on this that is going up in a couple days. I need to make more ME time, work out, and worry less. Great post!
I can ABSOLUTELY identify with every single item on your list! My goal for the new year is similar – to be a more authentic version of myself. To quit fretting about what I don’t have (and what others do), to quit feeling the need for everyone to like me, and to quit doing things that I feel I should do, rather than the things I want to do.
Best of luck – love your blog!
I’m totally with you on the contentment point. It’s so unusual in our society to actually practice being content, even though so many people seems to proclaim it. I’m definitely putting this down on my list which will be going on the wall in my bedroom as a constant reminder of what I am striving toward.
Oooh and I just thought I’d drop off a link to a lovely wedding site – they’re a really great blog that shows a lot of real weddings as well as vendors. It’s at http://www.100layercake.com/blog/ and it’s definitely worth a visit.
Erin, I always find your blog honest, and encouraging, so thankyou=)
Erin you and I are so much alike it is scary! Girl if we lived in the same town it would be TROUBLE!! Or a lot of fun play dates, lunches, and trips downtown 🙂 Maybe a few crazy “Todds” running around too ha! I love your resolutions and I know you will do great with them!
Great list! Here are a few of my 2011 resolutions:
1. Work out 4x each week
2. Cook dinner 4x each week with the help of my monthly menu
3. Work on being content with life (just like you!)
“Glass Castle” is amazing. Some of the early stuff is hard to imagine, but it is truly moving. Great pick!
hey erin! just catching up on your blog. i like this post. my community group is going through a study on a book right now called ‘the search for significance’ – basically about trying to find significance/self-worth in things/approval other than God. which i think relates to what you are talking about – why do we set goals and then beat ourselves up about it? why do we feel bad if we don’t have approval from someone, etc. anyway, it’s really good – might be worth adding to your 2011 reading list! 🙂