The Evolution of My Resolutions

As I get older (and wiser, as the saying goes) I experience many changes. Yes, some are those kind of changes: the potbelly that won’t budge, the Still Alice moments, the inability to sleep without at least one trip to the bathroom, and an ever-increasing need to prove my coolness to my children (fyi, watch out for this one as it usually backfires and actually tends to prove ones lack of coolness). But there are other things too. The truth is that things that used to get me riled up and motivated well, they just don’t anymore.

Like New Years Resolutions. I used to sit down with myself for a stern talking to on Jan 1 of every year. It would go something like this:

OK fatso. Enough already. Get control of yourself. You have been hanging on to this 10lbs for far too long. Plus, you need to be kinder and friendlier and find balance in your life and focus on quality family time but don’t let your relationship with your husband slip and also, don’t forget about ‘me time’ in the process. And you really need to write more letters, the written word is getting lost, and thank you cards, you aren’t thankful enough (at least not in writing) and take more video and record more of your children’s funny comments or amazing accomplishments. Plus, you need to set goals. These should be financial and personal and career goals. Oh, and a hobby. You don’t have one but you need one because hobbies help people live longer and brain teasers do too so put that on the list beside Sudoku and reading more and writing in a journal and learning a second language…

Honestly. I would feel beyond guilty and small by the time I covered the latest recommendations and trends for self-improvement. But not this year, folks. Nope. As I get older and life teaches me lessons I have experienced an evolution in my resolutions. Here’s my list for this year:

1. Watch the whole Mad Men series. I must do this according to so many people I respect. But really, I am doing it just because I want to be even a fraction as cool as Ali.
2. Eat more cheese. I love cheese. Every stinky, barn-like type of cheese. If I were trapped on a desert island and I could only bring one thing? Cheese. Life is too short.
3. Continue running. OK, I’m not totally stupid and life may be short but I don’t have a death wish. With all of the extra cheese I’ll be eating I should counter it a bit. I’ll keep my 3 day a week running routine going. Even through the winter hibernation season. OK, winter I’ll do 2 days…
4. Start a Book Club. Done. I’ll bring the wine!
5. Create an UrbanMoms.ca Fan Page on Facebook. For years I’ve been saying this and now, thanks to our wonderful Ali, it is done! Check it out and join the club!
6. Do the things I enjoy. I promised myself after my mom died that I would start to focus more of my energy on finding joy. I love to travel and I love to write about travel so you’ll be seeing a lot more Travel Reviews to help you decide where to vacation!
7. Be grateful. Life is good. Sometimes I just need a reminder.
8. Remember her and smile. I still find it so painful sometimes to think about my mom. I miss her terribly. But I don’t want to push away the memory of her because it is too hard. So I am resolving to remember her with a smile. At least some of the time.
9. Accept things. I am SO disorganized. I can’t get my daughter’s grade 1 homework schedule down so she got a satisfactory in homework completion. My desk is a shambles. I have piles of paper in my kitchen. No matter how many books I read or tips and tricks I try to implement, I am still disorganized. I promise to accept this and forgive myself!
10. Change other things. I will try and do something about my ongoing struggles with back pain. Years of doctors, and physio, and chiropractors, and acupuncture. The list goes on. But I can’t stop trying and accept that I have to live with this constant pain.