18 New Year’s Resolutions for Busy Moms in 2018!

With a new year upon us, it seems the perfect time for some reflection, introspection, and planning.

Below are 18 resolutions you should consider for the upcoming year that should help ensure your life is richer, more fulfilling, and satisfying in 2018 than ever before.

1. Resolve to accept and acknowledge your worth. Sometimes, we get so busy “doing” for others – friends, family, colleagues and even people we don’t necessarily know or have direct connections with – that we put ourselves and our needs behind everyone and everything else. This is no good for us in the long run. If we don’t consider and accept ourselves as wonderful and valuable, how can we expect others to see and treat us the same way?

2. Evaluate your priorities. Are the things you are spending your time on things that help to make you feel worthy and fulfilled? Is where you are spending your time – and who you are spending it on – serving your highest values? Or are you simply “doing” without considering these things? If so, you might literally be wasting your valuable time and energy.

3. Spend a little time figuring out what makes you happy. When we are constantly in motion – doing, doing, doing – we can get caught up in a cycle where we lose ourselves. Sometimes, to such an extent that we forget what it actually is that we want – what feeds our heart and soul. Thus, it’s a worthwhile exercise to take a breather and consciously evaluate what makes YOU happy and how to get more of “that.”

4. Figure out or factor in time to do more of “that” which makes you happy and pamper yourself with those things now and then. This might be as simple as taking some downtime, or as “extra” as a spa day with friends. Whichever the case, it’s critical not only to acknowledge your worth, but to celebrate it with action too. After all, you are no good to anyone else if you don’t get or take the time to recharge your soul as well.

5. Revisit old or forgotten hobbies that have always brought you happiness. In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, another thing that often falls by the wayside, are hobbies and activities that used to bring us joy. Maybe, it’s dancing. Perhaps it’s reading? Painting? Whatever the case, commit to yourself to revisit that hobby or passion at least one time per month in 2018.

6. Evaluate the quality of your relationships. Of course, for many moms, the kids come first – or at least tie – a significant other. However, since kids are developing into little people, with you as their guide, during the childhood years they are likely taking priority. This is understandable but can have pros and cons.

In any case, it’s super-important to make sure you are not just spending “time” with children and partners, but that this time you are spending is QUALITY time.

With kids, try to ensure you are having focused, meaningful, interactions at least one full hour of each day. A good time is right before bed. No TV. No devices. No anything that prevents total connection. You might be surprised when you make a commitment to doing this, how little you might have been doing it before—even if you felt tied to kids at the hip! It’s often amazing what you can learn about your little ones in this time and how fulfilling this can be!

Likewise, if you are in a relationship, with a significant other, the new year is a great time to ensure you are making that relationship a priority in your life too! If it’s been neglected, it’s time to change that as well. Start with a date night once a month and then try to work back to once a week. Very little else can make you feel like a “woman” again than reconnecting with the one you love.

7. Reignite old friendships you’ve neglected. Just as described above regarding our kids and partner, our busy lives often get in the way of nurturing our friendships too. Yet, friends we aren’t related to, serve a very important role in our mental health and well-being. Resolve to reach out to those friends and spend time reinvigorating those relationships in the new year.

8. Make new friends. There is something about making new friends that not only challenges us in ways that are beneficial to our personal growth, but that also teaches us things we didn’t know about ourselves. Consider joining new clubs or organizations that can introduce you to new people, and possibly, new adventures at the same time.

9. Reconnect with other family members. If your parents are still around and/or in your life, when was the last time you spent time with them, without the kids or other distractions? Consider the same for siblings and even cousins, etc. Getting to know your parents or these other family members more completely, as an adult, can be one of life’s greatest gifts.

• Learn about your roots. Exploring your family tree and history can be fascinating. Not only can you learn some intriguing things, it’s a really cool thing to learn where you come from and often, provides interesting insights about yourself – physically, emotionally, and mentally – you hadn’t previously known or considered.

• Revisit something you know you should be doing but haven’t been… This one might not be as fun as some of the other resolutions, but can definitely be as fulfilling. What have you neglected? Taxes? Bills? Cleaning out your closets or garage? Make a plan to get to those things ASAP—once and for all. Crossing such things off your list can be majorly-empowering!

• Learn something new. When we learn new things, it’s empowering AND good for our health, especially our brain. Mastering a new skill literally creates new connections in our cognitive function and research shows it might even help prevent mental decay – and even Alzheimer’s Disease – down the road.

13. Evaluate your health and longevity. No doubt, many will vow to “lose weight” in the new year. Yet, that’s a hard one and if you fall off the wagon early, it can be tempting to just give up altogether. Instead of that big whopper of a goal, make a list of 10 things you will do to improve your health this year and then do your very best to stick with them.

• Get organized. Similar to #11 above, consider how you can become better organized in general. Many experts contend that organizing your surroundings, correlates positively to a “clearer” and more stable outlook on life. What once seemed like a silly metaphor – organizing your space clarifies your life – has actually been proven to be true in many ways.

15. Create a “money-wise” plan. If you do not currently have a budget or plan for where and how you spend your money, commit to yourself that you will do that ASAP this year. Money that is not managed proactively is often mis-managed.

16. Start a rainy-day fun-fund or savings account. Figuring out how you can save $25 a week. Nearly everyone can find places to cut that out of their weekly spending. Then, put that money away – into some sort of account or safe space you can’t easily access. Make a promise to yourself that if no emergency comes up by the end of the year, you will splurge on something special for you or your loved ones at the end of the year (or just have a debt-free Christmas)!

17. Figure out some way you can give back or help others who are less fortunate. You might feel like you have nothing to give – no money, time, or energy – to defer to someone else. Yet. It’s important to not underestimate the benefits of altruism not just for others, but for you. It often helps to put things into perspective and provides a fulfillment that little else can provide.

18. Set a big goal for the year and create a plan for achieving your big goal with monthly milestones. What is something really major you would just love to accomplish in 2018? Don’t hold back… dream big! Then, break that goal down into twelve steps. Make another promise to yourself – that you will accomplish each of those twelve steps, one per month. If you fall short, one month though, don’t give up…. As long as you keep moving forward, at least you won’t be standing still!