Everyone has them, everyone breaks them. I heard recently that less than 20% of those that makes New Years Resolutions keep them through week one. The number sharply declines through weeks two and three. Why? Who knows? I will venture to guess that the resolutions that people make are too broad (lose weight, quit smoking, save money), not attainable (become a partner in the company within the year, win the lottery), or just not well planned out. Also, just because it's a new year doesn't have to mean and entirely new you. How about resolving to continue a good habit from the year before? Or break down your larger, broader goal (lose weight, become partner, become a millionaire) into smaller, more reachable ones: drink more water, save $50 more a month, speak up during weekly sales meetings, etc.
Or maybe broad IS the way to go. Maybe being too specific makes you more likely to break the rules. For instance, maybe we could just resolve to be nicer to people, smile more, spend more time with family, or spend less. For each person this could look different. And if you resolve to smile 5x more in a day and one day you only smile 4x more? Hey, at least you "smiled more"!
I also read that those that wrote down their goals are 40% more likely to achieve them than those that didn't. So write down your goals and resolutions, share them with friends, family, or colleagues to hold yourself accountable! Whether they are broad or detailed goals, writing them down seems to help. For me, I have one broad Resolution that I will break up into smaller categories:
Prioritize
1. In my work: focus more on my clients and my role in the sales office and less on my team. Sounds crazy right? Less teamwork? However, I put others before myself always and it can be a detriment to my own personal professional goals. I will still be a great teammate but in focusing on my clients it will help them as much as me.
2. In my marriage and home: focus more on the big picture and not worry about the small stuff. Make more time for myself. Like in my office, I put everything else at home before me and I suffer for it. How can I make a happy home if I myself am not happy?
3. In my day to day feelings. Put being happy first. Give thanks before asking for things. Think positive before negative. Try and see the silver linings. Learn from my mistakes.
3. Stop wasting time on social media or my phone. Period. Those little tidbits of time that are quiet should probably be just that: quiet. It's ok to have a lull and just...be. Whenever there's a lull (waiting in lines, stopped at red lights, waiting for Conrad to go potty ~ he won't let me in so I sit outside the door and wait ~ while I'm waiting for a meeting to start, while I wait for the shower water to warm up) I check emails, hop on pinterest, check my bank account, look at instagram. THERE'S NO NEED. Those few seconds of quiet aren't going to be ruined if I spend them doing NOTHING. In fact, they are more likely most ruined because I don't. As a working mom I need to appreciate those moments of peace because that's what they are - moments.
More than anything I need to realize that what I do in and out each day whether at work, at home, with my son or husband, with family and friends, is enough. I recently saw this and thought it was perfect:
All working moms, stay at home moms, dads, non-parents, parents, kids, leaders, employees should know this - if you are being the best you can be and trying harder each day, just know you are you and you are good. You are enough.
